


Civilization

by SilentRain91



Series: The island [3]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Abby doesn't know Clarke has adopted five children, Alternate Universe, Clarke and Lexa leave their island with their kids and some others to visit Abby in civilization, Commander!Lexa, F/F, F/M, M/M, a new enemy appears, clexa has five children, mamabear!Clarke, mamabear!Lexa, things happen on the island, third part of the island series, yes five
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-14
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-06-02 05:29:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 30
Words: 150,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6552907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilentRain91/pseuds/SilentRain91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Third part of the island series. </p><p>Clarke and Lexa sail out to civilization with their five children, to stay at Abby's place for a while. Anya, Raven, Octavia and Lincoln tag along with their children. Abby has no idea Clarke and Lexa adopted five children. All she knows is that they adopted one child, the last time she saw them. It will be strange for them to be there and the children don't make it any easier.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For those who jump in this story and aren't familiar with the previous two, and for those who need a reminder:
> 
> Clarke (20) and Lexa (20) are married. Their children are Aqua (3), Blue (3), River (2), Skye and Lily (twins,1). All adopted.  
> Anya (24) and Raven (21) are also married. Their son is Kai (4), who they adopted.  
> Octavia (18) and Lincoln (24) are married as well. Their daughter is Emily (1). Not adopted.  
> Jake is alive, but Abby divorced him. Abby is married to Kane.  
> Aden (19) is still on the island, which is the home of the drifters (what they call themselves). He is filling in for Lexa while she is away with Clarke and some others to visit Abby.

There is one cabin on Gustus’ ship with special beds for the children to sleep in.

Gustus and Jake spread sand from the island on the floor of the cabin to make it a bit more pleasant for the children. The sand helps the children to have something they’re familiar with.

Lexa tries to put socks on the children’s feet, which costs her some trouble. The children fuss about it. Eventually they do let Lexa put socks on their feet, but shoes are out of the question. The children aren’t used to wear shoes.

Clarke and Lexa don’t blame them, they don’t wear shoes either. They can’t force the children to wear shoes and they won’t. If they don’t wear them, then why should the children wear them? It’s not their way. Drifters don’t wear shoes.

The drifters had all boarded Gustus’ ship without shoes. The adults did agree to try to put shoes on when they arrive at the beach of civilization, to make some effort to adapt a little bit. They will only wear them when it is really necessary. They don’t plan to change their ways.

Gustus and Jake ensured them that this time there would be no cameras or anything. This time things would be different. Reporters had long moved on from their story and wouldn’t bother them anymore. There would be no media circus.

Once they arrive, Gustus and Jake plan to take them to Abby’s place.

It will take a week for them to get there. The drifters already dread it. They will be gone from their island, their home, for at least two weeks because it takes a week to sail there and a week to sail back.

The drifters keep daggers underneath their clothes, always armed, always prepared. They wouldn’t leave without their daggers.

Lexa sees Kai, Aqua and Blue running around on the deck.

“Be careful on the deck.” Lexa warns the children. “I don’t want any of you to fall.”

Lexa wouldn’t want them to slip and fall. The wooden floors of the ship are harder to fall on than it is to fall on the sand on their island. If the children fall on the wooden floor, they could hurt themselves and she doesn’t want that.

“Look Lexa, Skye and Lily are trying to walk.” Clarke beams. “They’re so cute.”

Clarke is looking at her twin girls who are carefully trying to take tiny steps. She loves them so much.

Lexa kneels down and stretches her arms out. “Hello my little angels, can you walk to mama?”

Lexa watches them like a hawk, ready to catch them fast if they would threaten to fall.

Clarke kneels down next to her wife. “Mommy wants a hug.”

Aqua wraps her arms around Clarke. “A hug for mommy.” She whispers and she kisses her mother’s cheek.

Lexa clears her throat. “What about me?” She wants a hug too.

Aqua giggles and makes her way to Lexa to hug her and kiss her cheek.

“Hey sweetie, hold hands with your sisters okay?” Clarke whispers in Aqua’s ear.

Aqua walks over to Skye and Lily and holds one of their hands.

Lexa waits until Aqua, Skye and Lily are close enough to hug them. “I love you all so much.” She peppers their cheeks with kisses.

Clarke scoops River and Blue in her arms and kisses their cheeks. “My two favorite boys in the whole world.”

Lexa and Clarke always make sure none of their children feels left out. It is tough for them sometimes to divide their attention amongst five children, but they love them all so much.

Aqua looks at her mothers. “Can I have a baby too?”

Lexa chuckles lightly. “Someday you can.”

“When, mama?”

“When you are as tall as your mommies.” Clarke whispers.

Lexa picks Aqua up. “I think your grandfather Gustus has a doll for you.” She bounces Aqua on her hip. “Let’s go take a look.”

Aqua shrieks when Gustus hands her a doll.

“Say thank you, Aqua.” Lexa whispers in her daughter’s ear.

Aqua wraps her arms around Gustus’ legs. “Thank you, Gus.”

Gustus ruffles Aqua’s hair. “You’re welcome.”

Aqua goes to find Clarke. “I have a baby, mommy.” She proudly shows her doll.

Clarke raises an eyebrow. “You do?” She asks with a surprised tone.

“Yes, Gus gave it to me.”

“Awe that’s sweet, did you thank him?” Clarke asks.

Clarke finds it endearing how her children can refer to Gustus as Gus. Gustus is a big muscled man, but on the inside he’s really soft and he’s very sweet with the children. She likes how her wife is helping her to raise their children with manners.

Aqua nods. “Yes, mommy.”

Clarke takes Aqua’s hand. “We can find some clothes for your doll, does that sound good?”

Aqua’s bright smile is all the answer Clarke needs.

Lexa stays on the deck to watch River, Blue, Skye and Lily.

Aqua shrieks when Clarke lets her pick some clothes for her doll from the suitcase where she keeps Skye’s and Lily’s clothes. Clarke melts at how happy her daughter looks because she has a doll. She helps Aqua to dress her doll.

Gustus and Jake walk on the deck towards the other children.

“We have gifts for our grandchildren.” Jake announces.

Lexa should have known those two would be spoiling the children.

Skye, Lily and Emily each get a small stuffed animal.

Lexa sees how they’re holding on to their stuffed animals right away. She makes a mental note to herself to make sure they don’t lose their stuffed animals.

River and Blue each get a tiny plastic boat to play with.

Kai gets a catapult from Gustus, much against Anya’s and Raven’s liking.

Gustus laughs when Raven whispers that she wants a catapult too.

Raven thinks a catapult is cool, but seeing her son with it isn’t exactly cool. She knows that Kai is a tiny warrior, but she doesn’t want anyone to give him things like that. Kai is four. If he was some years older, she wouldn’t mind so much.

Emily is not Gustus’ granddaughter, but he does make an effort to give her gifts because he’s Lincoln’s uncle. He is happy to have six grandchildren.

 

* * *

 

 

Aden is sitting on a tree log around the campfire when Miller runs up to him.

“Is something wrong, Miller?” Aden asks, after seeing the troubled look on Miller’s face.

“Jasper and Monty are toying with some of Raven’s stuff.”

Miller had been looking for his husband, Monty and had found him with Jasper. He knows Jasper is Monty’s best friend, but those two often get in trouble together. When he saw them toying with some of Raven’s stuff, he knew he had to go tell Aden.

Aden shakes his head. He doesn’t like that. “They should not touch what belongs to Raven.”

Miller nods. “Yes, I agree, but the issue is that if they don’t stop, they’ll end up blowing holes into the island. They have no idea how dangerous it is to toy with Raven’s things.”

Aden’s eyes go wide. He can’t let that happen.

“I love Monty with all my heart and he knows a few things.” Miller sighs. “But Raven is a genius and Monty really doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

Aden stands up. “Harper and Monroe, stop Jasper and Monty from whatever it is they are doing.” He commands.

Harper and Monroe nod and run off to go find Jasper and Monty.

“Thank you, commander.” Miller whispers.

Aden holds his hand up. “Please, call me Aden. Lexa is our commander and I will not take her title, not even in her absence.”

Aden doesn’t want the drifters to refer to him as their commander. It is a title that belongs to his sister, Lexa. Even though Lexa will be gone for a few weeks and he’s filling in for her, he won’t accept being called the commander.

Miller nods and walks away.

Aden stares at Ellis who is sitting on a tree log with a few of the children. He enjoys seeing her around. When Ellis catches him staring he quickly looks away.

Ellis stands up and approaches Aden. Silently she sits down next to him.

Aden watches while the drifters talk with each other around the campfire. It feels good to sit here. It feels good to be home. He misses Lexa and the others. He hopes their trip won’t be too rough. He has only been to civilization once, for a few months and he really didn’t like it. It was not a good experience. The only good part when he was there was that Anya, Octavia and Lincoln met Harper and Monroe. Harper and Monroe are nice and Aden is happy to have them as drifters on the island, even though he doesn’t know them so well himself.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke looks at the cribs in the cabin where the children will be sleeping. It is night and the children need to sleep. She doesn’t like the design of the beds.

“These beds look like we’re locking them up.” Clarke whispers.

 “My father said this is what people back in civilization use for little children.” Lexa says. “He said it is to prevent them from falling out.”

“It looks weird. I like their baby hammocks better.”

Lexa nods. “I can tell it confuses the children. It is only for one week and then another week once we return.” She sighs.

Lexa doesn’t like those beds either, but here on the ship they can’t have the baby hammocks. She hopes the children won’t mind too much. The children are really little and this trip is big. She hopes Abby will behave once they arrive.

“Maybe Kai won’t be able to sneak out this time.” Clarke whispers.

Lexa chuckles. “I disagree. Kai climbs trees.”

Clarke bites her lip. “That’s a good point.”

“Bedtime story, mommy.” Aqua whispers.

“Yeah Clarke, tell a story.” Raven whispers.

Octavia sits down next to Raven. “I’m all ears.”

“Okay, fine.” Clarke sighs. “I’ll tell a story tonight, but I suggest that each one of us gets a turn at telling a story at night. So yeah tomorrow, it won’t be me.”

Lexa, Anya, Raven, Octavia and Lincoln nod.

Clarke waits a moment for everyone to be silent.

“Once upon a time there were four little princesses and three little princes. They lived on an island far away...”

Lexa struggles to convince Clarke to go to their cabin because her wife is in awe with the children, who are sound asleep by the end of her story. She has to pry her away with kisses.

 

* * *

 

 

“It’s been a long time since we slept together.” Raven comments.

Lexa, Clarke, Raven and Anya are sharing a cabin.

“It could be nice.” Anya replies.

Raven tosses her pillow at Clarke.

“Raven, keep your pillow to yourself.” Clarke groans. She tosses the pillow back.

Raven smirks and tosses it again. Only this time she hits Lexa instead of Clarke. “Oh fuck, Lexa. I totally meant to hit Clarke.” She laughs.

“That does it, Raven.” Lexa says evenly. “You are going down.”

“That’s what Anya said.” Raven winks.

Anya pushes Raven. “Shut up.”

Lexa shrugs and tosses the pillow at Raven, directly followed by a second pillow.

Raven grabs the two pillows and smacks them together in Lexa’s face.

Clarke assists her wife and jumps onto Raven’s back.

Anya tries to peel Clarke off of her wife’s back.

The four of them quickly end up having a pillow fight.

When Octavia walks in, there are feathers flying around.

“Hey O, help me beat those two.” Raven says.

“No, O, help me beat Raven.” Clarke whispers with a pleading voice. “You’re my best friend.”

Octavia crosses her arms and looks at them. “You’re all in here having a pillow fight and you didn’t bother to invite me?”

Raven grabs Octavia’s wrist. “I’m inviting you now and you’re in my team.”

“Screw the team, you’re all going down.” Clarke grabs all the pillows she can get her hands on. “Mwuahaha.”

Lexa stares at her wife. “This trip is going to be… interesting.”

“Shh, you love me.” Clarke leans in and kisses her wife.

Lexa looks at Octavia. “What brings you to our cabin?”

“I told Lincoln I’d say goodnight and then I’d go back.”

“Too bad.” Raven shrugs. “You’re stuck with us now.”

Octavia wraps her arms around Raven and kisses her cheek. “Sounds good.”

“You know it.” Raven winks at her.

Anya tosses a pillow at Octavia. “Stop flirting with my wife and go make out with your husband.”

Octavia sticks her tongue out to Anya.

Anya picks Octavia up and tickles her sides.

Octavia giggles. “No, Anya, I surrender.”

“I trained you better than that.”

“I’m a warrior, not resistant for tickles.” Octavia shoots back.

“I’ll keep that in mind for when we’re back home.” Anya grins. “It’ll come in handy for our next battle.”

“Anya...” Octavia rolls her eyes. “… I’m literally on your team.”

“Less talking, more pillows.” Raven mumbles.

Clarke looks around. “Were those feathers already on the floor?”

Raven snorts. “Sure Clarke, they were.”

Lexa links her arm with her wife’s. “I think our fathers will be excited to see our cabin.”

“We could say the kids did it.” Octavia suggests.

“Oh my god, O, that’s so bad!” Clarke shrieks. “They’re innocent little angels.”

“We could say Kai snuck out of his crib and destroyed all the pillows in this cabin.”

“Oh no way.” Anya crosses her arms. “You’re not going to pin this on my son.”

“I got a better idea.” Raven whispers. “We’ll say Octavia was frustrated she couldn’t be in our cabin so she destroyed our pillows to get revenge.”

Octavia’s jaw drops. “You’re all the worst.”

Clarke laughs. “O please, a moment ago you wanted to pin it on the children.”

“Octavia, what’s taking you so long?” Lincoln asks from behind the door.

“She’s making out with us!” Raven yells back. “We turned her into one of us.”

"She's a ladylover now." Anya chimes in. 

Clarke hums loudly. "Your lips are so soft, O."

Lexa looks at them and rolls her eyes. She expects that kind of behavior from Raven, perhaps Anya too, but she didn't expect it from Clarke. 

Lincoln swings their door open and looks around their cabin. “It looks like it was a rough session.” He looks at all the feathers on the floor and the ripped pillows.

Octavia chuckles. She grabs Lincoln’s wrist and leaves the cabin. “Night y’all.”

“Goodnight O, love ya.” Raven blows her a quick kiss.

“Goodnight, Octavia.” Clarke, Lexa and Anya say at once.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke lifts Lexa’s shirt up while they’re in their bed in the cabin.

Lexa stiffens a little. “Clarke.” She whispers, barely audible.

“It is okay, Anya and Raven won’t notice.” Clarke whispers back.

Lexa can hear Raven and Anya laughing silently and turning under their covers. She knows that they are probably too lost in each other to even notice she and her wife are in the cabin too.

Clarke traces the tattoos on her wife’s back. She lets her finger linger for a moment on each bird and each name. It makes her heart swell every time. She’s entranced by how much Lexa loves her and their children.

Lexa gently turns around to look at her wife. In the dark, her eyes have a darker shade of blue.

Clarke places one of her hands tentatively on her wife’s hip. She uses her other hand to caress Lexa’s cheek.

Lexa leans into her wife’s touch. She licks her lips and waits.

Clarke follows Lexa’s tongue with her eyes. She shuffles herself a bit closer towards her wife and kisses her.

Lexa kisses her wife back with the uttermost care. Her tongue smoothly dances around Clarke’s.

Clarke weaves one of her hands in her wife’s hair and gently pulls her closer.

“Ow fuck.” Raven curses when she falls out of the bed. “Dammit, Anya!”

Anya laughs loudly. “I’m sorry, I need to get used to this bed.”

“Perhaps you two need a crib, like the children.” Clarke teases.

Raven grumbles while she gets up.

 

* * *

 

 

Gustus eyes his daughter curiously. “You’re saying the pillows ripped open by themselves?”

Lexa locks her jaw. “In a way, yes.” She knows that’s not what happened.

“Oh okay.” Gustus replies lightly. “Here I was, thinking you girls had a pillow fight…”

Lexa turns on her heel. “I should go wake the children.”

Clarke stifles her laugh when Lexa tells her about her conversation with Gustus.

Lexa shushes her wife with a kiss. She knew it was a bad idea of the others to let her say that to her father. She knew it wouldn’t work, but she also knew he wouldn’t be mad.

They make their way to the children’s cabin to wake them up and dress them.

Kai is standing next to his crib and trying to put his clothes on.

Raven and Anya make sure he doesn’t put his shirt on backwards. They give Kai approving thumbs up when he manages to do something by himself, along with a proud smile.

Lincoln is putting Emily’s clothes on. He loves to help his little angel.

Octavia helps Clarke and Lexa with their children, since five is quite the bunch for Clarke and Lexa.

When the children are all dressed, they go to the deck.

Raven suggests playing some games to pass the time.

“I spy something blue.” Aqua says with a smile.

Lexa taps her fingers on her arms. “Ah I know. Your mommy’s blue eyes.”

Aqua shakes her head. “No, mama.”

“Your brother, Blue.” Lexa knows it’s a wrong answer.

Aqua giggles. “No, mama.”

“Oh, oh I know!” Clarke shrieks. She kneels to be at eye level with Aqua. “Your blue eyes.”

“No silly.” Aqua giggles louder. “The sky, mommy.”

Clarke pretends to pout. “That was definitely going to be my next guess.”

Lexa copies her wife. “So close, I was just going to say that.”

Octavia laughs while she looks at them. “You two are absolutely adorable when you’re spending time with your kids.”

“The commander is secretly a fluffy teddy bear.” Raven mocks.

“Raven, I believe it is your turn.” Lexa says without paying any mind to Raven’s teasing.

“Uh….” Raven looks around. “I spy…the cutest kid ever.”

Clarke elbows Raven.

“Ow, Clarke!” Raven groans. “What the f-”

“It’s not nice to select one child as the cutest.” Clarke crosses her arms. “You could hurt their feelings.”

“Okay, okay.” Raven sighs. “I spy something blue…”

“The sky.” Aqua guesses.

Raven shakes her head. “Nope.”

“The water, mami.” Kai guesses.

“Yes, that’s it!” Raven shrieks. She kneels down and holds her hand up for Kai. “High five.”

 

* * *

 

 

Jasper nudges Aden. “How are things going between you and Ellis?”

“Leave Aden alone, Jasper.” Roan warns. “Stop teasing him.”

Jasper holds his hands up in surrender. “I wasn’t going to tease him this time.”

Aden looks at Roan. “How do I let Ellis know that I like her?”

“Ah let me tell you!” Jasper replies.

“Go away, Jasper.” Roan says.

“Okay fine, you two are no fun.” Jasper stands up and walks away.

Roan sits down on the tree log next to Aden. “I think Ellis already knows that you like her.”

“She does?”

“You have been giving her flowers, Aden.”

“I give her flowers because she likes them.” Aden replies. “I would give Ellis anything she wants.”

Roan taps Aden’s knee. “I think Ellis likes you back. She smiles when she’s around you.”

“I have a request for you, Roan.”

“What’s your request?”

“I am aware that Ellis is a warrior you are training.” Aden sighs. “My request is if she can stay here with me, if she would wish to do so.”

Roan laughs. “Sure Aden, if Ellis wants to stay here, she can stay.”

“If you want you can go back to your island. You do not have to stay here for the weeks my sister is absent.”

“Nah it’s fine Aden, we’re friends and it’s only for a little while.” Roan stands up. “I’ll go train the children.”

Aden nods. “I will be there in a moment.”

Aden is trying to get used to leading the drifters. It’s a good thing that everything is peaceful, it makes things easier. Some of the drifters tease him about being in charge and about liking Ellis. He misses Lexa, Anya, Clarke, Raven and Octavia. He spent so many years with them on their island. Having to miss them for some weeks isn’t easy.

He wants to keep everything in check so Lexa can be proud of him when she returns with the others. Before they left, he promised Anya he would carve into her tree every morning, like she always did. For Octavia he promised he’d look after Arcola, her pet bird.

“Hello, Aden.” Ellis smiles at Aden.

Aden looks up. “Hello, Ellis.” He bites his lip and tries not to blush.

“I like the flowers.”

“I am happy to hear that.” Aden stands up. “I will be training with the children, would you like to accompany me?”

Ellis blushes and links her arm with Aden’s arm. “It would be my pleasure.”

Aden gently kisses Ellis’ cheek. The blush on her cheeks doesn’t go unnoticed.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven groans. “I’m going to be glad to be off this ship, but it sucks that it won’t be home where we’ll be arriving.”

Clarke sighs. “Yeah I feel the same way, but it’s only for a while…”

Lexa squeezes her wife’s hand. “We can go back anytime you’d like.”

Clarke nods. “I remember, I just have to say the word and we’ll be on our way back.”

“Yes.”

“I hope it will go well with my mother…” Clarke takes a deep breath. “I hope she won’t freak out that I have five children.”

Anya nudges Clarke. “We’re getting closer to the beach, we’ll find out soon enough.”

“We should get our bags from our cabins.” Octavia suggests.

Lexa agrees. “Yes, that is a good idea, Octavia.”

By the time they’re back on the deck of Gustus’ ship with their bags and suitcases, they have arrived.

Lexa is relieved that nobody is waiting for them on the beach. It had been stressful in the past when those reporters overwhelmed them.

They help the children to get off the ship. The children seem happy for a second to step onto the stand, but they seem to notice quite fast they’re not home.

Reluctantly, Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia and Lincoln put shoes on.

The children squirm when they try to put shoes on their feet.

Lexa shakes her head. “Leave them without shoes. We will carry them.”

Gustus and Jake guide Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia, Lincoln, Indra and the children to Abby’s house. They’re quite sure Abby won’t be expecting to have them bring seven adults and seven children to her house.

Jake knows that Abby is hoping to see Clarke, and that she invited Lexa and Aqua as well. Abby did tell him Clarke could bring a few friends. A few friends turned out to be five. The children will be quite a surprise for Abby. He hopes for his daughter’s sake and for the children’s sake that Abby won’t freak out.

Clarke is holding Skye and Lily in her arms. She’s worried about the concerned look on their faces. She can’t blame them. They don’t know what this place is like with the cars and everything else. They’re wiggling a bit, but she tries to hold them in her arms. She can’t let them walk, not when they’re not wearing shoes. There’s no sand on the streets in this place.

Lexa is holding Blue and Aqua in her arms. The tiny pout on their faces breaks her heart. She can tell they don’t like this place. She doesn’t blame them, she doesn’t like this place either.

Raven is holding Kai in her arms. She sees how Kai is looking around with wide eyes, taking in all the surroundings.

Anya is holding River. She’s holding him close to her chest while gently stroking his back.

Octavia is holding Emily while softly rocking her in her arms to soothe her.

A few people on the streets stare as they pass by, but most people seem too busy to notice them.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey honey, it’s good to see you.” Abby smiles at Clarke and hugs her.

Clarke briefly accepts her mother’s hug. “Hi, mom.”

Abby looks at Lexa. “Good to see you, Lexa.” She holds her hand out.

Lexa politely shakes Abby’s hand. “Good to see you too, Abby.”

Abby notices all the children. She recognizes Kai. She knows he’s Anya’s and Raven’s son. She also recognizes Emily. She knows she’s Octavia’s and Lincoln’s daughter. Then of course Aqua, she knows Aqua is Clarke’s and Lexa’s. She sees four other little children who she doesn’t recognize. They can’t be Octavia’s, unless Octavia adopted one of them or something like that. It is possible Raven and Anya adopted some of them.

Clarke catches her mother staring at the children. She kneels down next to Blue.

“Mom, this is Blue, he’s three years old.”

Clarke moves on to River.

“This is River, he’s two years old.”

Lastly Clarke kneels down next to Skye and Lily.

“This is Skye and Lily, they’re twins and they’re one year old.”

Abby smiles at her daughter. “That is nice. Whose children are they?”

Clarke looks at her mother. “They’re mine and Lexa’s.”

“F-fi-fi-five…” Abby stutters. The color drains from her face and she faints.

“Whelp…” Raven says. “… on the bright side, she didn’t freak out.”

“Raven, my mother fainted, she literally fainted!” Clarke replies.

Lexa sighs. This wasn’t really going well at all. She would have expected Abby to be surprised, but she didn’t expect Abby to faint.

Octavia looks at Clarke. “I guess that’s what happens when you tell her you have five kids.”

“She took it like a champ.” Raven mocks.

“You’re not helping, Raven.” Clarke groans.

Raven shrugs. “You’d think she’d be used to a thing or two. She’s a doctor after all.”

“Abby I’m home.” A voice calls out and a man walks into the room. He sees Abby on the floor. “What happened?” He sounds worried.

“Well hello stranger, nothing much happened.” Raven replies. “Abby fainted after Clarke told her she has five children. That’s all.”

The man looks at them. “I’m Kane, Abby’s husband.” He reaches his hand out to Clarke. “You must be Clarke, I heard much about you.”

Clarke shakes his hand. “Yes, I’m Clarke.”

Abby opens her eyes. “Fi-five… five children.”

Lexa crosses her arms. “The children are happy to meet you too. Thank you for the warm welcome.” There’s a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“Five…”

Raven smirks. “Yeah we got that by now.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will reveal some things about the children's past.

Kane fills some glasses with water and places them on the kitchen table.

Abby is quickly emptying her glass and refilling it, still looking rather pale.

Kane looks at the drifters. “If you want to drink, you can take a glass.” He points at the glasses.

Kai tugs at Lexa’s pants. “Leksa, it’s cold.”

Lexa looks at Kai. She kneels down and places her hand on the kitchen floor. “The floor is cold.” She pulls her hand away and stands up again.

Clarke sighs. “It must be cold for the children’s feet. They’re not used to that.”

Abby looks at the children. “Why are they not wearing shoes or slippers or something?”

“At home we don’t use shoes.” Lexa replies.

Raven picks Kai up. “Let’s put some socks on your feet.”

Indra opens a bag with some socks in it and hands them to the other drifters so they can put socks on the children’s feet.

“Abby and I have three rooms prepared for you.” Kane says. “We didn’t expect so many guests.”

Abby looks at Clarke. “We expected you, your wife and Aqua. We also assumed Octavia would possibly come with Emily and we thought perhaps Anya would come too, but we weren’t sure.” She sighs deeply. “I prepared three rooms that I have available. I never thought to have seven adults and seven children as my guests. I was guessing perhaps five adults and three children, Aqua, Kai and Emily.”

“Lexa and I wouldn’t leave our four other children at home without us.” Clarke replies.

“You’ll have to figure it out with the three rooms.” Abby whispers. “I can’t believe you adopted five children…Clarke, you’re still so young.”

“Mom, I don’t want to hear this.” Clarke crosses her arms. “I’m their mother and Lexa is their mother too. We’re happy. Can’t you be happy for us?”

“I’m glad you’re happy, Clarke. It’s just tough to accept all of this.”

Lexa takes her wife’s hand. “We can leave if you want.”

“Wait.” Kane says. “Please, don’t go yet. Abby and I want to get to know you all better and be a part of your lives.” His voice is soft.

Lexa looks at her wife. It’s Clarke’s decision to make.

Clarke sighs. “Fine.”

“Careful, children.” Indra says while some of the children run around.

Lexa turns around to look and she sees River falling because he slipped on his socks.

River cries when he falls.

Lexa quickly kneels down next to him and takes him in her arms. “It is not safe to run here.” She holds him close in her arms and strokes small circles on his back to soothe him.

Clarke has a sad look on her face. “Without socks it is cold for their feet and with socks they slip and fall.”

“They’re not supposed to run around, that’s not what houses are for.” Abby comments.

“Back on our island we wouldn’t have that problem.” Raven bites back. “At home they don’t hurt themselves when they fall onto the sand.”

Kane places his hand on Abby’s shoulder and shakes his head. “I can show you all your rooms and you can divide them amongst each other.” He suggests.

Lexa nods.

 

* * *

 

 

At the top of the stairs in Abby’s house, there is something weird that the drifters don’t recognize, similar to something down the stairs.

Kane notices the confused look on their faces. “It’s a stair gate.” He explains. “It’s a safety precaution for the children. When they’re upstairs, it makes sure they can’t stumble down the stairs and the one downstairs makes sure they can’t climb up the stairs.”

Clarke nods and licks her lips. “That is not such a bad idea, actually.”

Kane shows Clarke, Lexa, Anya, Raven, Octavia, Lincoln and Indra how to open and close the stair gates.

Jake and Gustus help them with their bags. When their bags and suitcases are all upstairs, they hug them quickly. Jake scribbles an address on a piece of paper and hands it to Indra, in case the drifters decide they want to leave. Jake and Gustus will be staying at a hotel nearby to make sure they can get to the drifters fast if needed.

The drifters walk into the first room.

“So three rooms…” Raven says. “How are we going to divide them?”

Lexa thinks about it for a moment. Each room has a king-sized bed and a crib. Abby counted on only three children, so that must be why there are only three cribs.

“Those beds are huge.” Octavia notes, looking at the one in the first room. “I bet it can easily fit four of us in one.”

Lexa holds her hands up. “Emily can sleep in one of the cribs. Skye and Lily can share a crib together. River can sleep in the last crib.”

Clarke looks at her wife. “And the other children?” She wonders.

“The other children will have to share the beds with us. Kia, Blue and Aqua are old enough to do that. We will make sure they don’t fall out.”

Clarke nods.

Lexa takes a deep breath. “Octavia and Lincoln will sleep in one room with Emily in the crib.”

“Sounds good.” Octavia replies.

“Anya and Raven will sleep in another room with Kai in their bed and River in the crib.”

Anya nods. “Yeah that’s okay, we’ll take River.”

“Clarke and I will sleep here with Aqua and Blue in the bed and Skye and Lily in the crib.”

Raven chuckles lightly. “You two will have a full room.”

“Where’s Indra going to sleep?” Octavia asks.

Lexa bites her lip. “I don’t know. You can all choose that. Clarke and I don’t have enough space.”

Octavia looks at Lincoln. “Indra can sleep in our room, right?”

Lincoln smiles at Octavia and nods.

“I’ll go put my bag there.” Indra says.

The children are looking around with wide eyes.

When they’re done with their bags and suitcases, the drifters pick the children up and go downstairs. They struggle a bit with the stair gates.

 

* * *

 

 

Aden is watching as the children are training. He hopes Lexa will be proud of their progress when she returns. He is doing his best to train them as well as he can.

Ontari walks over with Roan. “Hey Aden, do you mind if we battle?” Her sword is swung over her shoulder and she’s smiling.

“Do you want to battle against me or against Roan?”

Ontari shrugs. “Either is fine, just can’t get rusty.”

Aden sees Ellis is approaching them. “You can battle against Roan.”

“Roan, you heard the man. Get ready.” Ontari grabs her sword.

Roan nods and takes his own sword to battle against Ontari.

“Hello, Aden.” Ellis whispers when she’s close to Aden.

Aden smiles at her. “It’s good to see you, Ellis.”

Ellis leans in and kisses Aden’s cheek.

Aden holds one of his hands out and waits for Ellis to slip her hand in his. When he feels Ellis’ hand in his, he brings her hand up to his mouth and presses a soft kiss against her knuckles.

“Do you like me, Aden?”

Aden nods. He likes Ellis. Of course he likes her.

Ellis squeezes Aden’s hand. “I like you too.”

Aden is about to say something, but before he has the chance to do so, he feels soft lips meeting his. Ellis is kissing him. He places one of his hands in the small of her back and gently nudges her closer to deepen their kiss. He hopes he’s not being bad at this. He has never been with anyone at all, despite being nineteen. That is something growing up on an island can do.

“If you want, you can stay here.” Aden whispers. “I talked about it with Roan and you are allowed to stay here, to be a drifter, if you wish.”

“Yes Aden, I would like that. Do you think Lexa would mind?”

Aden cups Ellis’ cheeks. “Worry not, my love.” He’s sure Lexa won’t mind.

Ontari and Roan are grinning at Aden.

Ontari runs over to pat Aden’s shoulder. “About time you two would hit it off.”

Aden ignores Ontari’s playful comments. “Who won the battle?” He hadn’t been watching.

Ontari sighs. “Roan won.”

Roan swings his sword proudly. “I’m a leader back on my island for a reason.” He winks at Aden. “And here on the drifters’ island, I’m a proud ally and a friend.”

Ontari pokes Aden. “Ready to battle against me so I can kick your ass?”

Aden stands tall and grabs his sword. “I was born ready.”

Ellis chuckles and gives Aden a quick kiss.

Ontari winks at Ellis. “I’ll battle against you next.”

Ellis nods. “It will be good for my training.”

 

* * *

 

 

Abby is in the kitchen making some coffee. She offers some to the drifters, but they scrunch their nose up. Lincoln is the only one who accepts a cup of coffee.

Kane offers the other drifters some water, which they accept.

Abby puts a plate with cookies on her kitchen table. She takes one and hands it to Aqua. “Here sweetie, a cookie.” Her voice is soft.

Aqua looks confused and stares at the cookie in her hand.

Lexa takes the cookie from Aqua’s hand and puts it back on the plate. “I would rather you not give the children those.” She says evenly.

Abby looks dumbfounded. “It’s just a cookie, Lexa.”

Lexa shakes her head. “The children can have fruit, not cookies.”

“Yeah we don’t have cookies and things like that at home.” Clarke adds.

Abby sighs and takes the plate away. She puts a small basket with some fruit on her kitchen table instead. It stings her each time Clarke refers to the island as her home. Her daughter’s home should be here, with her.

“Can the children have something from my basket of fruit then?” Abby carefully asks.

Abby appreciates that they want to raise the children healthy, but she still finds it rather ridiculous that they can’t even have a cookie. They don’t know what they’re missing.

Raven looks through the basket of fruit. “Hmm, let’s see.” She pauses for a moment. “No berries?”

“I’ll go to the store to go buy some.” Kane replies. “Should I bring anything else while I’m at the store?”

Abby sighs deeply.

When nobody replies, Kane leaves to go to the store to buy berries.

Lexa takes a banana from the fruit basket and reaches for her dagger that she has tucked in her waistband.

Abby’s jaw drops when she sees Lexa taking a dagger from underneath her clothes. Of course, she should have known Lexa would be armed. When she sees Clarke doing the same, she’s shocked. Are they ever not armed?

Lexa and Clarke cut the bananas in tiny pieces for the children.

Octavia, Raven and Anya help to give the pieces to the children.

“Mami, I want to go home.” Kai sounds sad and his lips curl downwards into a pout.

Raven ruffles through his hair. “We will go home soon.”

“I want to go now.” Kai crosses his arms and stomps his feet.

Lexa kneels down and looks at Kai. “Hey little warrior, you have to be strong now, okay? We are… on a vacation.”

Kai drops his arms next to his body. “Okay, Leksa.”

The children sit down on the white tiles of Abby’s kitchen.

“I have a couch…” Abby says. “… The children could sit on the couch.”

“A tree log would be better.” Octavia replies. She looks around. “I’m guessing you don’t have that.”

“I saw some trees outside.” Raven chimes in. “We could get one of those to make a tree log to sit.”

Abby shakes her head. “No, no, no. I have a couch and chairs.” She inhales and exhales a few times. “You’re not going to behave like animals while you’re here.”

Raven feels annoyed. “Abby listen, I know you’re a doctor and all that, and you’re used to live here all fancy and shit, but we’re not fucking animals!”

“Language, Raven.” Lexa rolls her eyes.

“I’m not saying you are animals, I’m saying don’t behave like animals.” Abby retorts. “You’re not on that island. You will dress and behave properly.”

Lexa crosses her arms. “Are you implying our clothes are not appropriate?” Her voice is cold.

Abby looks at Lexa, who has a stoic look on her face. “The children don’t wear shoes and the clothes you are all wearing are… your clothes look like you’re going to sport or something. A dress could be nice.”

“That does it.” Octavia grabs the first glass of water she can get her hands on and empties it above Abby’s head.

Raven gives Octavia a high five. “Get that stick out of your ass, Abby.”

Abby grumbles and stands up to get some paper towels.

Lexa takes her dagger and points it at Abby. “You will respect my people.”

“This is going well.” Clarke sighs.

Kane walks in with the berries he just bought. He shifts his eyes between his wife and the drifters. The tension in the room is very obvious. He can also see Abby’s hair is wet, so he definitely missed something.

Abby is arguing with Clarke, while Lexa is losing her temper.

The children are whining and it’s really not going well at all.

When Emily, Skye and Lily start crying, Lexa has had enough.

“Silence!” Lexa seethes. She stands tall and clasps her hands behind her back.

Octavia picks Emily up to comfort her.

Lexa and Clarke take Skye and Lily in their arms.

“I have enough of all this bickering.” Lexa’s voice is cold and warning.

“I agree.” Kane pitches in.

Lexa looks at Abby, her eyes narrow. “If you continue to argue with us, we will leave.”

Skye has her tiny hands tangled in Lexa’s hair. Lexa is gently trying to shush her. She hates it when her children are upset. When Skye’s stuffed animal falls on the floor, she bawls her eyes out.

Anya quickly bends down to pick it up. She gives it to Lexa.

“Shh my little angel.” Lexa whispers softly. She holds to stuffed animal up for Skye to see. “Look, I have your stuffed animal right here.”

Abby is sitting at her kitchen table with her hands in her hair while the drifters are soothing the children.

Clarke looks at her wife and the others. “I’m sorry I made you all come here.”

“Clarke, you did not make us.” Lexa replies. “This is not your fault. We’re here because it was our choice to come with you.”

Clarke gives her wife a chaste kiss.

“I would go anywhere with you, Clarke.”

 

* * *

 

 

Abby and Kane decide to order some pizza. It was more Abby’s idea, really. She knows that people around her daughter’s age can like ordering pizza, so she assumes they might enjoy it and it could be some sort of peace offering.

When Lexa and the other drifters are eyeing the pizzas with weird looks, it hits Abby that her choice was not the best one. The drifters eat healthy and on their island they don’t have things like pizzas.

“There are uh… vegetables on it.” Abby tries. “Maybe you’ll like it.” She looks at Kane with pained eyes before looking at the drifters. “If this is not okay I can get you all something else, anything you’d like.”

Clarke sighs. She can tell her mother is trying to make amends for earlier. “We uh… can try it.”

Abby points to three weirdly shaped chairs. “I have the baby chairs for the children. I’m sorry I only have three, I didn’t expect seven children.”

Clarke looks at the children, who are sitting down on the kitchen tiles, helplessly. They must be confused that there is no sand and that there are no tree logs.

“That is considerate of you, Abby.” Lexa replies softly. “Unfortunately I have to inform you that it would confuse the children.”

“But they can’t sit on the floor when they’re eating!” Abby raises her voice. She doesn’t like this.

Kane squeezes Abby’s hand. “Abby, they’re children. They are raised… differently.” His voice is calm. “If we were to go to their home, it would be a bit difficult for us too, to adapt to their ways. We can’t expect them to adapt to ours.”

Clarke is surprised to see how Abby relaxes when Kane is reasoning with her, which is another thing that surprises her. Maybe Kane is not so bad. It’s still tough that her mom divorced her dad, but Kane seems like a good guy.

“I have an idea.” Kane smiles at the drifters. “How about we sit in the garden and we could make a small campfire? We can prepare some food and eat there.”

Lexa appreciates Kane’s kindness. She nods.

Abby watches as the children make their way outside, bare-footed, and she knows she won’t like it when they’ll walk back inside after that.

Lexa and Anya help Kane to build the campfire.

Clarke warily takes a slice of one of the pizzas to try it. Her mother and Kane try to adapt by letting them have a small campfire, so she will try their food.

The other drifters do the same.

“Mhm, this is actually not bad.” Raven says before biting into her slice of pizza again. “Yum.”

Aqua, Blue and Kai try it as well, but they end up scrunching their nose up in disgust and spit it out.

Lexa sees Abby staring at them.

“It’s okay.” Abby whispers. “They… they tried it.”

None of the drifters really seems to like the pizzas, aside from Raven.

Kane disappears in the kitchen for a while to make some mashed potatoes and apple sauce for the children.

“Thank you, Kane.” Lexa says politely. “This is very kind of you.”

The children walk around the campfire, but they’re keeping some distance from it.

Abby glances at the children while taking bites of her slice of pizza.

“They know the fire is dangerous to touch.” Lexa explains, even though Abby didn’t ask.

Raven pulls Kai into her lap. “The kids are smart.”

 

* * *

 

 

When it’s late and the children are yawning, the drifters take their children back in the house and go upstairs to the rooms provided for them to sleep in.

Abby is slightly surprised when one by one, they clean their feet before stepping back inside her house. Maybe if all of them pour some water to the wine they will manage to get along.

Clarke puts River’s pajama on and brings him to the room where Anya and Raven will be sleeping, to put him in the crib in that room.

River wails when he’s being placed into the crib in the room where Anya, Raven and Kai will be sleeping. He’s not used to sleep in a bed alone.

Clarke reaches her arms out to him and lifts him out of the crib. She can’t stand to see her son upset. She smiles apologetically at her wife who’s waiting in the bed in the room they’ll be sleeping in, with Blue and Aqua.

Lexa looks up when her wife places River into the bed, next to Blue and Aqua.

Clarke agrees with her wife that she’ll sleep on one side, while Lexa will sleep on the other side, with River, Blue and Aqua in the middle.

Octavia places Lily next to Skye in the crib when she’s done putting their pajamas on. She had been helping Lexa, who was busy getting Aqua and Blue into their pajamas. She doesn’t mind helping and she knows Lincoln would be able to put Emily into her pajama.

Clarke gives Octavia a hug. “Thank you for helping us, O.”

Lexa joins their hug, squeezing Octavia in the middle. “Thank you, Octavia.”

“Um you guys…” Octavia whispers. “I appreciate all the love, but you’re kinda squishing me here.”

At that, Clarke and Lexa squeeze Octavia into a tighter hug.

“Oh that does it, I’m calling in reinforcements.” Octavia says. “Hey Aqua, Blue and River, your mommies really want a hug.”

Aqua is the first to climb out of the bed and make her way to her mommies.

Blue is helping River, who struggles to get out of the bed.

“Well, well, well.” Raven leans against their door. “I was going to come over to say goodnight, but it looks like I walked in on a hugfest.”

Anya leaps in the room from behind Raven to join the hug.

Kai sneaks up behind Raven and tugs at her pants.

Raven takes Kai’s hand and they walk into the room to join the big group hug.

“Awww.” Abby’s soft voice rings through the air. “Wait, I need to take a picture, Kane go get the others.”

Kane goes to the other rooms to get Lincoln, Emily and Indra.

Once all the drifters are wrapped into some sort of big group hug, Abby takes a few pictures. She makes sure the flash is off, so it wouldn’t startle them.

Lexa was a bit wary at first, but Raven had ensured her it isn’t a weapon.

Abby smiles when she walks away. “I’m going to cherish those pictures forever.” She whispers to Kane.

 

* * *

 

 

Aqua snuggles herself up against her mother, Clarke. Her brother, Blue is sleeping next to her on her other side.

River is snuggled up against his mother, Lexa. His brother Blue is sleeping next to him on his other side.

Clarke is gently stroking Aqua’s hair. She feels relief washing over her, at the knowledge that Skye and Lily seem to be sound asleep in the crib. She’s happy to know that her children are safe. From all her children, she worries the most about River. She wonders what happened to him where he came from, but he’s too young to tell her.

Her children were all orphans before she adopted them with her wife. There must be a reason why they were orphans in the first place. She wonders if Ontari and Roan know more about what happened to Blue’s, Skye’s and Lily’s parents. Ontari and Roan had brought them to the island, along with a few older orphans. Perhaps they know something or have at least an inkling about what happened.

Clarke found it endearing how Ontari and Roan had helped to bring orphans to the drifters. She remembers how they jokingly called their island the orphan’s island. The drifters did take quite a bunch of orphans in, so many even that when they left for this trip to visit her mother, their island counted more children than adults. She thinks Ontari and Roan know more about Blue, Skye and Lily. She had noticed the pained look on Ontari’s face when she handed Skye and Lily over, but the second Ontari saw her staring, Ontari’s expression changed and the flash of pain was gone. 

Lexa kisses the crown of River’s head. She knows her son is easily scared. From the first day she met River, he seemed afraid. She still remembers how he was clutching to another orphan, and how her wife immediately loved him and asked her to adopt River as their son. She hums softly to help River sleep.

River feels safe in his mother’s arms. It helps him for all the scary dreams he gets. He has memories of people screaming and smoke. Then a few big men took him and he saw other children. He was scared and held on to one of the other children. The men took him and the other children somewhere. That’s how he met his mommies. Closing his eyes scares him because the dark scares him, but his mama sings and hums, making the dark not scary anymore.

Blue dreams while he sleeps. He has memories of a woman picking him up. He had been hiding after he saw a man and a woman take some children away. He was alone and a bit scared. He remembers the woman finding him. The man joined the woman and called the woman Ontari. He thought they would be scary, but they smiled at him and gave him berries. They both took him away and then he met his mommies. He loves it when his mama sings and his mommy has the brightest smile. With his mommies, his brother and his sisters, he doesn’t feel alone anymore.

Aqua has memories of bigger children taking her hands when there was a lot of water, and she couldn’t swim. The children brought her to grandfather Gus and grandfather Jake. Her grandfathers brought her to her mommies. She is happy to have her mommies and to have her brothers and her sisters.

Skye and Lily remember being picked up. They were sleeping and suddenly everything was warm, and they couldn’t breathe. The stranger who picked them up helped them breathe again. The stranger had a soft voice and her cheeks were wet when she kissed their cheeks. The stranger called a name a few times over and over. The strange woman shouted _Roan_ , with a broken voice. Another stranger joined the woman. Their next memory is being in the arms of their mommies.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven and Anya playfully tickle Kai, who is in between them. They hope he won’t sneak out while they’re sleeping.

Kai shrieks and giggles while his mommies tickle him. He’s happy to have them. He has memories of caretakers he had. Then there was a battle, and he saw weapons. His caretakers fell and they didn’t open their eyes anymore. He smeared mud on his face and hid behind the trees while it was dark. When the sun rose, strangers approached. He tried to climb up a tree, but strong arms peeled him off of the tree.  They called him sneaky and smiled at him. The strangers took him and then he met his mommy and his mami.

Raven and Anya gently squeeze their son in between them.

Anya clumsily tries to kiss her wife without squishing Kai. She loves her wife very much. She also loves their son, with his deep brown eyes, milky brown skin, freckles and black hair.

 

* * *

 

 

Ontari fell asleep around the campfire when suddenly she jolts up, sobs escaping from her throat. She feels arms wrapping around her and she jerks away.

“Hey shh, Ontari, it’s me.” Roan whispers.

Ontari bites her lip to try to stop her sobs.

Roan gently places a hand on her knee. “You had those nightmares again, didn’t you?”

“I tried so hard, Roan…” Ontari’s voice breaks. “I tried and I couldn’t save them.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, you saved the girls.”

Ontari shrugs her shoulders. “Yes, I saved the twins, but I was too late to save their parents.”

“Ontari, what happened wasn’t your fault.” Roan’s voice is tender. “There were too many flames. If you wouldn’t have seen what happened, the twins would have died.”

“The nightmares are awful. When I got them out, I was so worried they wouldn’t breathe. I can still hear their parents scream.”

Roan places his hands on Ontari’s burn marks. “You burned yourself to get those girls out. You saved them and now they have Clarke and Lexa as their mothers. They have a sister and brothers.” He sighs deeply. “If it is any relief at all, while they grow up, all they’ll know and think is that Clarke and Lexa are their parents.”

“Promise me you will never tell anyone what I did, Roan.” Ontari looks into Roan’s eyes. “Promise me. Don’t tell anyone, not even Luna. I love her, but I don’t want her to know this, she can’t know I have these nightmares.”

“Ontari, you’re a hero.” Roan’s eyes soften. “You have so much kindness in you, and yet you shield it.”

“Roan, please.”

“Okay, I promise.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In my story, Ontari is not a bad person. I wanted to give some insight about the children's past, from when they became orphans.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so it's getting quite late, but I worked hard to get this chapter done today. I hope you'll like it! :)

Lexa wakes up when she feels River stirring. She’s always been a light sleeper. It never takes much to wake her up, which comes in handy when having five children. She slowly opens her eyes and sees River flailing his tiny arms around. One of his tiny hands lands against her cheek. Quickly, she takes her son in her arms. She places his head on her chest and strokes his cheek.

River is crying silently, rudely woken up by a nightmare.

“Shhh, you’re safe.” Lexa whispers quietly. “Mama has you, you’re safe.” With her thumb she wipes the tears from his cheeks. She repeats her words a few more times.

River clutches his tiny hands tightly to his mother’s shirt. He listens to his mother, whispering to him and humming.

Lexa is worried. It breaks her heart a little bit each time her son is scared. She hopes that one day he won’t be so afraid anymore. River is a drifter. He has the potential to grow up strong. She will protect him for as long as she can. It’s okay if he wouldn’t grow up to be a warrior. All she wants is for River to grow up safe, healthy and happy. She sees the first rays of light are shining through the window.

Clarke rubs her eyes and opens them. When she turns her face, she is slightly surprised to see River clutching onto Lexa. A concerned look settles on her face. She sees her wife, giving her a short nod, signaling her that yes, River must have had a nightmare again.

There’s a soft knock on the door, barely loud enough for them to hear.

Clarke holds her hand up to her wife and slips out of the bed. It’s better if Lexa stays in bed for a little while longer now that she’s soothing River. She makes her way to the door and opens it.

“Good morning.” Octavia whispers. “Do you need any help dressing the kids?”

Clarke smiles at Octavia. “Good morning, O.” She pulls her into a quick hug. “Yeah, help would be nice.”

“Need any more helping hands?” Raven whispers from behind Octavia, with Anya next to her. “Morning.”

“Mhm morning.” Clarke pulls Raven and Anya into a hug. “Thanks.”

“Kai is already dressed.” Anya whispers. “We figured you and Lexa could use some help.”

Clarke nods. She appreciates how often they help out, even when she’s not asking them to. It feels good to have them as friends and as family. Growing up together really made them bond with each other. Anya and Raven are good aunties for the children. Octavia is not their auntie, but she is family and she wouldn’t mind it if the children would refer to Octavia as auntie as well. Octavia is her best friend and the closest she ever had to a sister.

Lexa offers them a tight-lipped smile, as they all grab clothes for the children. Their help is much appreciated.

Now that there are five of them to dress five children, it will be easy.

Clarke carefully takes River from her wife, so Lexa can get up.

River tightly grasps his mother’s shirt the second she picks him up.

Clarke is really worried. She sees her mother and Kane standing by the door. Her mother looks worried too.

Abby approaches her daughter and her grandson, River, she recalls.

“He has nightmares sometimes.” Clarke whispers with a husky voice. “He gets scared a lot.”

“Is there anything in particular he’s scared about?” Abby asks.

Clarke nods. “He can’t be alone at any moment and he seems scared of the dark.”

“I think it is possible that something from his past has caused him to be scared.” Abby sighs. “Do you know something about him from… before he became… your son?” She refrains from using the word orphan.

Abby is worried about her grandson. It is obvious that something is wrong. River’s blue eyes look sad. She feels like a two year old shouldn’t carry such burdens.

Clarke shakes her head. She wants to help her son. It takes her a while to get River dressed.

 

* * *

 

 

Aden is sitting around the campfire with the others on the island. He’s sitting on a tree log next to Ellis, with a bowl of fruit in his hand. He’s smiling at Ellis and sharing his fruit with her.

Monty and Jasper are playfully pushing each other. They’re sitting with Miller, Harper and Monroe. The five of them have gotten a lot closer and hang out together a lot.

When Aden sees them throwing fruit at each other, he’s not pleased. “Stop throwing food.” His strong voice commands. He can’t have them wasting any food.

“We’re just playing around.” Jasper replies. He smiles and picks up another piece of fruit, ready to throw it.

Aden stands up. “I will not repeat myself again.” He clasps his hands behind his back and stands tall. He tries to mimic the stoic look Lexa often has.

Jasper groans and puts the piece of fruit down. “You’re no fun.”

“Since you like fruit so much, today you will collect coconuts.” Aden orders with a hint of amusement in his voice.

Monty slaps Jasper’s back and laughs.

“Monty.” Aden says evenly. “You will help Jasper.”

Jasper and Monty grumble as they get up to go collect coconuts. It isn’t an easy job for them. Neither of them is particularly skilled at climbing trees, and cutting the coconuts loose is much harder than cutting bananas loose, for example.

Miller approaches Aden. “Is it okay if I join them?” He asks with a soft and calm voice.

Aden nods. He knows Miller likes to keep an eye on his husband, Monty.

Ellis takes Aden’s hand and steps closer to him, pressing a soft and gentle kiss on his lips.

Aden kisses Ellis back, ignoring the few drifters that are whistling at them. When Ellis breaks their kiss, he does send a quick glare to the drifters who whistle, silencing them immediately.

Roan and Ontari are sitting on a tree log, whispering to each other in silence.

Aden cups Ellis cheeks and gives her one more kiss. “I will be back in a bit, love.” He whispers.

Ellis nods and Aden motions for Roan and Ontari to step aside with him.

“Something you want to talk about, Aden?” Roan asks, keeping his voice low.

Aden nods briefly. “Last night, you were both up late.” He explains. Turning his gaze to Ontari, he asks. “You seemed upset, are you okay?”

“Y-yeah, I’m fine.” Ontari smiles weakly. “Thanks for asking.”

“Very well.” Aden replies. “That was all.” He flicks his wrist, allowing them to leave.

Aden doesn’t tell them that he heard their conversation last night. He heard what Ontari said to Roan about her nightmares. He knows what she did for Skye and Lily, and how she got her burn marks. It changed the way he sees Ontari even more. The way he sees Ontari had already changed when she spared Clarke’s life, and when she fought with them against the sea monster, Jrot. It was not his intention to eavesdrop. He had been nearby, saw them and heard their conversation.

Aden can tell Ontari doesn’t seem to want to talk about it. He won’t press the matter, not let her know that he knows. He heard how Ontari made Roan promise not to tell anyone. Even though Ontari didn’t make him promise anything, he won’t tell anyone either. It’s not his place to tell anyone. He knows now that Ontari has a much bigger heart than she lets on.

Aden takes Ellis’ hand and together they go to the river, with the children.

The youngest children currently on the island are five years old. It’s a relief that all of the children can swim.

Aden sees that the children are bonding with each other, and that they acknowledge as others as brothers and sisters. He hopes that maybe one day, they can all be adopted by the older drifters. Currently that doesn’t seem possibly. The balance doesn’t allow them to. There are more children than adults on the island. The children can’t all be adopted, unless every adult would be as ambitious as Clarke and Lexa, who have adopted five children.

Aden considers possibly adopting a child too at some point, but right now he doesn’t feel ready yet. He is nineteen and his relationship with Ellis is fresh and new. It’s too early to think about children. Luckily the children don’t seem upset about it. The adults are their guardians who take care of them, and they have each other. As a part of the drifters, they are automatically family, in a way.

Ellis enjoys spending time in the river with Aden and the children. The children see her as a big sister, and she likes that. Though, she can’t wait to train so she can improve her fighting skills. She wants to become a good warrior.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s a hassle to put shoes on the children’s feet. They are not cooperating at all. The drifters sigh deeply when the children kick their feet around, while sitting on the floor. Abby convinced them to go outside with her, to go the mall.

Lexa, Clarke, Anya, Raven and Octavia are not sure what a mall is, but since Abby had made an effort earlier that day with their breakfast, by arranging coconut milk for the children, they were going to give it a try.

Lincoln and Indra know what a mall is. They have spent many more years in civilization than they have spent on the island. They’re worried that going to the mall is not a good idea. It can be too crowded and especially for the children it sounded like an awful idea. Despite being more used to civilization, they mainly spent their years at sea.

The children stare at the shoes on their feet.

Clarke wonders what is going to happen once they are outside. People here in civilization don’t seem to walk around in big groups like theirs. She already knew eyes had been on them when they arrived and she feels like there will be eyes on them again.

Lexa grabs a few daggers and tucks them underneath her clothes. The other drifters do the same.

Abby rolls her eyes and mutters a silent ‘unbelievable’ when the drifters tuck their daggers away underneath their clothes.

“You dislike our ways.” Lexa notes, looking at Abby.

Abby looks at Lexa, who has that stoic look on her face again. “It’s not a good idea to be armed. If you attack someone, you could get arrested. They could capture you and put you in jail.”

Lexa raises one of her eyebrows. “You are saying we would be captured if we defend ourselves?”

Lexa doesn’t know what jail is, but she has an idea what it might be. If jail is the place to be captured at, perhaps it is a place where they tie people to trees or to other things.

“There are laws here. It’s forbidden to use weapons. If you use those daggers, they will capture you as a punishment.”

“We arm ourselves to protect our people.” Lexa replies evenly. “I will protect my people.”

Kane takes Abby’s hand and guides her outside. Another argument wouldn’t do anyone any good. He knows Abby wouldn’t win this argument. He doesn’t approve that the drifters arm themselves, but he can see their motives. As long as nobody attacks them, the drifters won’t reach for their daggers. All he has to do is watch out that nobody attacks them or insults them in any way. How hard could that be?

The drifters notice people staring at them while they follow Abby and Kane.

Indra thinks that the strangers who stare at them are probably trying to figure out who’s related to whom, seeing nine adults and seven children. Though, Octavia is only eighteen and it doesn’t help that she barely looks her age. She glares angrily at anyone who gapes at Octavia, who has Emily in her arms. If anyone dares to say one wrong word to Octavia, she will cut them.

Lexa has Skye and Lily in her arms. She realizes this would make it tough to reach for one of her daggers, but she trusts that the other drifters would know what to do if needed.

Clarke has River in her arms, who has his face buried in her hair.

 

* * *

 

 

The mall is huge. There are lots of people walking around and it all looks strange. There’s a variation of shops and places to eat.

For Indra and Lincoln it isn’t something they don’t know, but the other drifters stare at everything, wide-eyed and confused.

“Watch the children.” Lexa commands. “Don’t let any of them run off on their own.” She can’t let them roam around freely.

Anya holds Kai in her arms, to make sure he doesn’t sneak off.

“I want to go home, mama.” Aqua pouts and tugs at Lexa’s pants. “Please, mama.”

Aqua doesn’t like this strange place. Strangers are talking all at once and it’s too loud. She has never seen so many people.

“It will be okay, Aqua.” Lexa replies softly.

“We should split up a bit.” Abby suggests. “We could meet in a bit at that little place over there.” She points her finger at a bench.

“There are fourteen of us, drifters and two of…” Lexa replies, thinking about her words. “You.” She’s not sure what to call Abby and Kane.

Lexa carefully puts the twins down and holds her hands up to command orders.

Abby hates the way people are staring as the scene unfolds. The drifters are clearly different. Their clothes are a mix between casual and sportswear, their pants are slightly ripped. None of the drifters has a purse, leaving only her with a purse.

“Clarke, Octavia and Indra are in my group.” Lexa announces. “Along with Skye, Lily and River.”

“Anya, Raven and Lincoln are the second group.” Lexa goes on. “Along with Emily, Kai, Aqua and Blue.” She looks at Anya. “Anya is in charge.”

“W-what about us?” Abby asks, realizing she and Kane have been left out.

Lexa shrugs and flicks her wrist, motioning for the groups to split up.

Abby follows after Lexa’s group, while Kane follows the other group.

Abby doesn’t like the way Lexa is bossy and she doesn’t like the way Indra acts like some sort of bodyguard. Earlier that day she tried to take something out of Emily’s hands and Indra swatted her hands away, while glaring at her.

They step into a store and look around. The store has things that sparkle and jewelry.

Clarke stares at something that has caught her eyes.

Octavia stands next to Clarke and follows her gaze. She’s bouncing River on her hip, after she had taken him over from Clarke.

“Those are beautiful.” Clarke’s eyes twinkle. “What are those things?”

Clarke takes one for a closer look, while holding Lily close to her body with her other arm.

“Those are pendants. You can put them around your neck.” Abby explains.

Octavia takes one and looks at it. “This is pretty.”

Clarke nods and hums. She likes how there are different colors and shapes.

“I have an idea.” Lexa whispers. She turns around to look at Abby. “I need that paper that people use here to get things.”

“I have money.” Indra says, reaching for a wallet in her pocket before Abby can reply. “Gustus gave me money in case you or the others wanted to buy something.”

Indra won’t let Abby pay for their things. The drifters can look after themselves. Abby may be rich, but the drifters aren’t poor.

Lexa whispers something in Indra’s ear and Indra nods.

“Let us go back to the others.” Lexa orders. “Indra will be with us shortly.”

 

* * *

 

 

Kane awkwardly trials after Anya and the other drifters of the second group. He’s not sure what to think about Anya being in charge.

Anya is holding Kai and Aqua in her arms, while walking out in front of them.

Raven is following her wife closely, with Blue in her arms.

Lincoln is smiling at Emily, who he is holding in his arms. He’s happy to spend some time with his daughter. Octavia loves their daughter so much that he doesn’t often get a chance to hold her.

Kane had offered to hold one of the children, perhaps Aqua or Blue, since he is their grandfather, but Anya had given him a stern no. It is clear to him that they do not like having him around. Raven told him that he isn’t truly the grandfather of Clarke’s and Lexa’s children, she said Jake and Gustus are their grandfather’s. He can understand where they are coming from, but it doesn’t feel fair.

Kane married Abby years ago. He wants to be a grandfather for Clarke’s children. Clarke is his daughter, in a way. Technically Clarke is his step-daughter, but he doesn’t think drifters have that sort of concept when it comes to family. The drifters are very strict with their sacred marriages.

Lincoln spots a store that sells sport clothes. He has an envelope with money in his pocket, which he received from his uncle Gustus. He points at the store and Anya nods.

Anya wants to try on a few things. She hands Kai to her wife and puts Aqua down. She knows Aqua will stay close, but she can’t say the same for Kai who would sneak away.

Raven wants to join her wife to try some things on. She hands Kai to Lincoln and puts Blue down next to Aqua.

Kane kneels down next to Aqua and Blue. He sees Lincoln staring at him, watching his every move.

Aqua smiles and gives Kane a hug. Her brother, Blue, copies her.

Kane wraps them both in a hug and picks them up. He hopes Anya won’t get mad at him. He’s relieved to see that Lincoln is smiling.

Anya and Raven show off some pants and tank tops.

Lincoln nods approvingly. He’d hold his thumb up if it wasn’t for Emily and Kai in his arms.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is already waiting at the bench with the others when Anya approaches them with her group.

Anya looks around. “Where’s Indra?” She wonders if they lost her or something.

“Indra will join us shortly.” Lexa replies, without any further explanation.

Abby points to a small place nearby where they can drink something. “We could sit there for a bit.” She offers.

Lexa nods. Her eyes linger on Kane for a moment, who is holding Aqua and Blue. She has mixed feelings about it. Kane seems nice, but he isn’t truly family. Yes, Kane married Abby, but the circumstances are strange. As long as Kane is being polite, she can live with it.

Anya notices her sister staring at Kane. “Raven and I were trying on clothes, and then Kane was holding Aqua and Blue.” She whispers in Lexa’s ear, letting her know it wasn’t her idea.

Lexa nods with a small smile.

When they sit down to drink something, Indra walks up to them and whispers something in Lexa’s ear. The others look at Lexa, questioningly. Lexa shoots them a look that tells them not to question her.

Abby orders some milkshakes, telling the drifters they might like it.

Clarke has River on her lap and lets him sip from her milkshake through the strange object her mother referred to as a straw. Her son looks confused for a bit, before putting his lips around the straw. She tries not the chuckle while she explains to her son how to use the straw, especially when he blows bubbles into the milkshake at first, eyes filled with confusion as to why the drink isn’t in his mouth.

Kai, Aqua and Blue get the chance to try drinking some milkshake through a straw too. Soon, Kai blows bubbles into his milkshake on purpose. Aqua giggles and copies Kai. Blue, not wanting to feel left out, does the same.

Aqua coos when Kai blows bubbles big enough to make the milkshake spill.

Anya and Raven look at their son with admiration and ruffle his hair.

Abby shakes her head. “You shouldn’t reward behavior like that.”

“He’s a child, Abby.” Raven comments.

Lexa sighs and licks her lips, weighing her options. “The children are allowed to have fun. This does not harm anyone.” She looks at Raven and Anya. “Clean it up.”

Anya nods and takes some napkins to clean it up.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa waits for the drifters to gather in Abby’s living room. When she nods at Indra, Indra hands her a bag. She holds her hands up, silencing them all.

“River.” Lexa speaks softly, motioning her hand.

Clarke gently nudges River to walk over to her wife, not sure yet what Lexa is up to.

River walks up to Lexa and looks up at her. “Yes, mama?” His tiny voice croaks.

Lexa kneels down in front of her son. She takes something out of the bag. River looks at her with curious eyes. She holds her hand out to him, revealing a pendant. It’s in the shape of a knife and it is dark blue. She hangs it around River’s neck.

Lexa cups River’s cheeks tenderly and looks into his eyes. She sees fear twirling in his baby blue eyes, the fear that always seems to be present. “This will protect you.” She taps his pendant. “It will give you strength and take your fear away.” Her voice doesn’t waver. “May you never be afraid.”

River’s eyes soften. He wraps his arms around his mother and hugs her.

Lexa hugs him back and ruffles his hair.

Clarke blinks her eyes, tears welling up in them. She loves her wife, and what her wife is doing for their son is beautiful. She kneels down and opens her arms for River, softly hugging him.

“Aqua.” Lexa says softly, letting Aqua approach her.

Aqua runs up to her mother with a smile. “Yes, mama?”

Lexa takes a light blue pendant out of the bag, shaped like a heart. She hangs it around Aqua’s neck. “This will let you know that you’ll always be loved.” She whispers. "May true love find you."

Aqua’s blue eyes sparkle. She runs to her mommy to show what her mama gave her.

“Blue.” Lexa calls out. She smiles at her son and takes another pendant out of the bag. It is cobalt blue and shaped like a tear. She hangs it around Blue’s neck. “May you never shed any tears, if not happy tears.” She smiles at her son and hopes that the light in his blue eyes will never die.

“Skye and Lily.” Lexa says softly. She waits for her wife to bring the twins closer. She takes two pendants out of the bag. One is pink and shaped like a lock. The other is purple and shaped like a key. She hangs the lock around Skye’s neck and the key around Lily’s neck. “May you two always find each other.” Her lips curve into a smile at the sight of her twins wrapping their tiny hands around their pendants.

Lexa stands up and approaches the other drifters. She takes one in the shape of a dragon. It’s black. She hangs it around Kai’s neck. “May you become a strong warrior.”

“Thank you, Leksa.” Kai shrieks happily.

Lexa takes another pendant out of the bag. This one is white and shaped like a star. She hangs it around Emily’s neck. “May your intentions always be pure, like your mother’s.” She shifts her eyes between Emily and Octavia.

Octavia feels a tear escaping her eyes. She mouths a silent ‘thank you’ to Lexa. It’s beautiful that Lexa is including her daughter in this as well.

Lexa proceeds handing out pendants for the adults. To her wife, Clarke, she gives a yellow pendant in the shape of the sun, because Clarke is the light in her life.

To Octavia, she gives a white pendant, shaped like a flower.

To Raven, she gives a midnight blue pendant, shaped like a bird.

To Anya, she gives an orange pendant, shaped like a tigress.

To Indra, she gives a green pendant, shaped like a shield, for the protection Indra always offers.

To Lincoln, she gives a black pendant, shaped like a tree.

Lexa smiles at the drifters. This moment is special. For herself, she has a black pendant, in the shape of a steering wheel of a boat, the sign of the drifters.

“There are more for when we get home, for the others.” Lexa announces. She thought about all the drifters and will make sure each drifter gets a pendant, to which they can give a meaning.

Abby takes her camera. “Can I take some pictures?” She asks Lexa, since Lexa is the leader.

Lexa nods.

“There will be some flashes, but it’s not a weapon.” Abby says, wanting to inform them.

The drifters allow Abby to take several pictures, while they change positions for each picture.

Abby beams at Kane about how she will make a photo album with all the pictures. Her smile reaches up to her ears when she takes a picture of Clarke and Lexa, with their five children.

Clarke wraps her arms around her wife and kisses her tenderly, tears running down her cheeks. This moment makes her emotional.

Lexa wipes her wife’s tears away with her thumbs.

That night, River sleeps peacefully, not having a single nightmare haunting him. Clarke and Lexa stare at their children all night, eyes filled with love and admiration, relief washing over them to see River so peacefully.

Clarke looks at her wife and finds many things in her eyes. Love, admiration, strength, loyalty, but most importantly, she finds hope in her eyes.

Lexa’s beautiful emerald green eyes are filled with hope.

Hope for their people.

Hope for their family.

Hope for River.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It will take me a while to get another chapter up. The next chapter should be up before Friday, but I'll be a bit busy. On the bright side, I did spend my whole evening writing this chapter, I hope that's worth something. 
> 
> I have so many feels about clexa and their children.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New people arrive on the island while Lexa is still back at civilization.

Aden is standing proudly next to Ellis, while training the children. He had suggested to Roan that he could leave with Ontari, to see if they find orphans somewhere, while Gustus and Jake are back in civilization. Usually Gustus and Jake always search other islands to see if there are orphans somewhere. He feels like it would be a shame to put that on hold for a few weeks. There could be orphans somewhere who need to be taken care of fast.

Aden knows that some orphans have arrived in dire need of food, for example. He knows Lexa has asked Roan to stay to help him out, but that’s really not necessary. Roan kindly refused his suggestion and sent his warriors away instead, leaving only Ontari, Ellis and himself on the island.

Ellis looks forward to officially being a drifter. Aden has reassured her that Lexa won’t mind, and she trusts him. Despite that, Aden did tell her the blood ritual would only be done once Lexa is back. She can understand that. Lexa is the commander. Even though Aden is replacing her for a few weeks, Lexa is still the one in charge. Aden can’t be the one to decide to perform the blood ritual to make her a drifter.

Ontari grabs two swords and approaches Aden. “Want to battle?” She asks with a slight smirk on her face, already holding one sword out in Aden’s direction.

Aden nods and accepts the sword. He kisses Ellis’ cheek, before stepping away to battle against Ontari.

Roan walks over to stand next to Ellis. “Watch the way they hold their swords and the moves they make.” He wants Ellis to learn more, as the girl is still in training.

Ellis nods briefly and narrows her eyes. She tries to watch both Aden and Ontari, but her eyes linger the most on Aden. She’s happy that she’s involved with Aden. Aden is really sweet.

Aden feels bad when his sword cuts Ontari, right on top of one of Ontari’s burn marks. He thought she’d be able to block his swing. He flicks his wrist, signaling that the battle is over.

Ontari grumbles when Aden ends their battle. She wasn’t done yet. It’s only a small cut, she can take a lot more.

“Roan, go get Echo to patch Ontari up.” Aden commands.

Roan runs off to go get Echo, the healer of the island. He finds her walking around with Bellamy.

“I’m fine, Aden.” Ontari grumbles, displeased by Aden ordering Echo to patch her up. “It’s a small cut.”

Aden ignores her words and walks away with Ellis to train the children, while Ontari reluctantly lets Echo patch her up.

“I think he cares about you.” Roan whispers.

“That’s ridiculous, Roan.” Ontari waves her hand, not believing it. “I don’t exactly have the best connection with Aden, and I can’t blame him. After all, I did knock him unconscious once.”

Roan throws his head back and laughs lightly. “Ontari, that’s in the past. You have done good things since then.”

“That does not change anything. I do not want him to care about me.”

Roan sighs. “Is it really so bad to have someone care about you?” He looks into Ontari’s brown eyes. “Some people care about you. I’m one of those people.”

“Don’t be a fool, Roan.” Ontari hisses. “You are wasting your time caring about me, and so is Aden.”

“Perhaps Aden likes you.”

Ontari snorts. “That is doubtful.” She squeezes her eyes to look at Roan. “And what’s your excuse?”

“You’re one of my people, Ontari.” Roan replies. “I think Aden does like you, in a way. Obviously not the same way he likes Ellis.”

Ontari shrugs. “I’m going to go find Luna.”

“Um about Luna…” Roan says softly, carefully tiptoeing around it. “…She left with my other warriors to scan some island, looking for orphans.”

Ontari’s nostrils flare up. “You should not have sent her with them!” Her voice is as angry as the look on her face. She doesn’t want Luna to get hurt. How could Roan be so foolish?

Roan dips his head while regret washes over him. He can see the error he has made.  He should have discussed this with Ontari. Luna is one of his people, but Luna is involved with Ontari. He knows Ontari worries about Luna. It’s slightly similar to the way he worries about Clarke. Clarke, the young woman with sky blue eyes. If it wasn’t for Lexa, he might have had a chance with Clarke. It wasn’t meant to be. He appreciates having Clarke as a friend.

 

* * *

 

 

Kane offered to build a campfire in Abby’s garden again. Abby stared at her husband for several moments, before finally agreeing with his offer.

Lexa gratefully accepted the offer. The campfire is a tradition for the drifters. It is nice to have that here in civilization as well. She asks Raven, Anya and Octavia to keep an eye on her children in the garden, so she can have a moment with her wife. She feels Abby’s eyes on her back, as she walks back inside with Clarke.

Clarke settles down on the couch with Lexa, her lips quickly meeting her wife’s. “I really like what you did, with the necklaces.” She murmurs against Lexa’s lips.

Clarke feels like the children are fine now that they have the necklaces. Her wife gave a meaning to the necklaces, which made their children happier, along with the others. She loves how Lexa planned this after she had been entranced by the pendants in that store at the mall. She should have known her wife was up to something after she whispered something to Indra.

“I’m happy River had a peaceful sleep.” Lexa’s voice is calm. Her eyes rake over her wife’s body.

“You care so much about our children, it’s beautiful.” Clarke’s lip trembles. “You care about our people.”

Lexa wipes a tear away from her wife’s cheek. “You and our children are my life, Clarke.” She would do anything for their happiness. “Nobody matters more to me than you do, and our children.”

“You care about all the drifters.”

Lexa nods. “I do care about all our people. Our people are my life. You, Clarke, are my heart and my soul.” She whispers earnestly.

Lexa will never love anyone with greater passion than she loves her wife. She feels deeply connected to Clarke. They were meant to be, they always have been. She can feel that in every fiber of her being. In any life, in any universe, it will always be Clarke. Her wife makes her heart beat faster and slower at the same time. She would die a thousand deaths for Clarke, and a thousand more after that. She will protect their children with all she has. Her heart beats as one with Clarke’s.

Clarke can feel all the things her wife isn’t telling her. All she has to do is look into Lexa’s eyes, to find a million thoughts unspoken. The love her wife feels is evident in every look, every smile, every touch and every word.

Clarke holds her hand to her wife’s chest. “I love you, Lexa.” So much.

“I love you too, Clarke.”

Clarke moves closer to her wife, until she’s on Lexa’s lap, straddling her. She leans in and kisses her, trying to fight the hunger she feels, wanting to kiss her wife gently.

Lexa maps her wife’s lips with her tongue, jolting up slightly when Clarke parts her lips, allowing entrance. Her tongue dances around her wife’s. She wishes days would last longer, so she can have more time to show her wife how much she loves her. There’s a small reassurance of their silent promise to each other. When they perish in this life, they will find each other in the next. For now, it is enough to console her concerns.

Clarke moans when their kiss grows hungrier and rougher. She fights back the urge to rip her wife’s clothes off. It wouldn’t be a good idea to do that on the couch while the others are outside in her mother’s garden, waiting for them to return. Sharing a bed with their children during their… vacation at her mother’s place makes it difficult to share more than a kiss with Lexa. Not that she regrets having the children.

Lexa shifts a bit and wraps her hands around her wife’s wrist. Regretfully, while fighting her own restraint, she pushes Clarke away just a tad. She shakes her head and the way her wife nods tells her that Clarke understands. She wants this just as much as her wife wants this, but they can’t, not like this, not now.

Clarke sighs and climbs off Lexa, pressing one last breathy kiss against her lips.

“Perhaps I can bribe my father to let us have our own cabin on our way back home.” Lexa whispers, thinking about it. “It would grant us some privacy.”

Clarke smiles brightly. “I like that idea.” Her smile falls quickly. “I don’t think he has enough cabins to do that though.”

“That is true.” Lexa admits. “I will make an agreement with the others, to let Anya and Raven sleep in a cabin with Octavia, Lincoln and Indra.”

“Hmm, what kind of agreement?”

“I will offer them to let Kai sleep in our hut for a week when we return.” Lexa replies. “That way we will be even.”

Clarke nods approvingly. “We should make offers with them and others like that more often. At times we could watch their kid at night and other times they watch ours. We can switch with other drifters like that too.”

Lexa grins and thinks about how the other drifters would react to keeping their five children in their hut for a night or a few nights. Octavia probably wouldn’t mind. Thankfully she’s the commander, so even if some mind, it won’t exactly be optional. Now that River’s nightmares seem to be in the past, it would be safe to let him sleep with others.

 

* * *

 

 

Aden stands behind Ellis, gently hovering his hands over hers, correcting the way she should hold her sword. His fingertips wrap softly around Ellis’. He whispers in her ear, convincing her to follow his lead. He allows one of the children to approach for a battle.

During the battle, Aden remains behind Ellis, ghosting her sword around, letting their bodies move as one. He hopes Ellis will learn effective strikes from this. The touch of her skin against his gives him a warm tingling feeling. The strikes he makes with Ellis are careful and calculated. They are battling against a child after all, one of the older children, but a child nonetheless.

Before nightfall, Roan’s warriors return with orphans. This time most of them appear older.

Aden glances at the children. The drifters are used to have orphans up to about twelve years old. Not that they would reject older children.

Roan’s warriors inform Aden that most of the orphans they found are twelve to sixteen years old.

Aden nods and allows them on the island. He knows Lexa doesn’t know he’s accepting new orphans, but something tells him that she won’t mind. Most of the new orphans are older than the current children on the island, but they are still children. He hopes they will have some skills. Training children younger seems easier.

 “Jasper, Monty, Miller, Harper and Monroe, make sure these children have huts by nightfall.” Aden commands. He approaches the new children. “Welcome, orphans. My name is Aden. Here on this island, we call ourselves drifters. My sister, Lexa, is our commander. She leads us. Currently our commander is not around, and during that time, I am leading the drifters. When Lexa returns, we will make you all officially drifters. This island will be your home from now on.”

Aden motions for Roan and Ontari to approach him. “Roan and Ontari will see to it that you all get something to eat.” His eyes flicker over the children, their worn clothes, their skin caked with dirt and the way most of them look starved. “After they help you to get clean and give you all fresh clothes.” He glances over at Luna. “Luna will help too.”

Ontari is relieved to see that Luna is back and that she can spend some time with her now. Though she’s surprised Aden ordered her to help the new children. Usually nobody picks her for something like that. Yes, she has brought orphans to the island with Roan, including Skye, Lily and Blue at the time. Still, she always closes herself off. The drifters never really seemed to trust her alone around children. Not that she will be alone, because Luna and Roan are joining her too. Still, it is odd since Luna and Roan aren’t drifters either.

Harper hands the children some soap. She follows them into the water of the ocean, helping Roan, Ontari and Luna with the younger children. Once the children are properly rinsed, Monroe is standing on the beach with towels and fresh clothes.

Harper and Monroe know they don’t need to help since they didn’t receive any orders to do so, but they like to help.

Roan leaves the girls to help the children, while he takes off to arrange their food.

Aden builds a campfire, so the drifters, Roan and Roan’s warriors can join him on the tree logs. He can tell the new children look slightly disorientated. He wonders how Lexa will feel about the older children. The oldest are sixteen. It should not be an issue. He wonders where Lexa draws the line. He knows they take in children, not adults, but these new orphans are all children.

The only time Lexa made an exception to accept a few older ones was when she accepted people from Gustus’ crew, and of course, the time where they freed the slaves Nia once held. Aside from that, adults are not welcome on the island. Strangers are considered a threat, unless it’s a child.

Aden can see a girl is shivering. He sits down next to her. “Are you okay? What’s your name?”

“Am I… safe here?” The girl hesitantly asks. “My na-name is Fox.”

Aden places a hand on her knee. “You are safe here.” He squeezes her knee gently, offering comfort. “I promise.” He can tell she’s one of the older children, but she looks fragile.

“Bellamy.” Aden calls out. When Bellamy approaches him, he goes on. “Keep an eye on Fox, make sure she is safe and taken care of.”

“Yes, Aden.” Bellamy replies respectfully.

Aden moves over to another tree log, where one of the new children is sitting with some of the children who were already on the island. He smiles at the way the girl tells them stories. He learns her name is Charlotte.

Aden also notices a boy, called Artigas. The boy has wild braids and may be suitable to become a warrior. He will let Artigas train with Roan tomorrow.

Later that night he talks with another new child, who looks like one of the older children. The girl drew his intention by playing with a dagger. The girl introduces herself as Tris and tells him she has been training to become a warrior. Aden is glad to hear that. Tris will be valuable as a drifter. Tomorrow he will see to it to train with her, to see which skills Tris possesses.

 

* * *

 

 

Aqua runs up to her mommies the minute they join the others around the campfire in Abby’s garden.

“Hey, baby.” Clarke coos. She kneels down to pick Aqua up. “How sweet of you to wait for us.”

Lexa ruffles Aqua’s hair. She feels tiny arms wrapping around her legs. She looks down and sees Blue and River. Their blue eyes are staring pleadingly in her green eyes. A chuckle escapes her when she kneels down to scoop her sons in her arms. When she receives cute little kisses on her cheeks from them, she feels blessed. Her sons are perfect.

“I love you, mama.” Blue mumbles.

Lexa’s heart swells. “I love you too.” She presses a soft kiss against his cheek. “And I love you.” She whispers to River, pressing a soft kiss against his cheek as well.

“I love you the most, mama.” Aqua shrieks.

“No, I love mama more.” Blue says, crossing his arms and pouting.

“Mama loves me.” River whispers with his tiny croaking voice.

“It’s sweet how you all want to love mama the most.” Clarke comments. “Mommy needs some love too.” She pretends to pout.

River pouts and rubs his eyes. “I sorry, mommy.”

Clarke carefully puts Aqua down so she can reach her arms out to River. “Aww baby, no I didn’t mean to upset you.” She takes River from her wife’s arm and holds him close to her chest. “I’m sorry, baby.”

River sticks his tongue out to Aqua and Blue. “Mommy loves me.”

Clarke gasps. “You tricked me.” She’s surprised and impressed at the same time. “Lexa, help me, our two year old tricked me.”

Raven groans. “You’re all sickly cute. Sit down with us and do this again later in your room while we’re not around.” Her voice is a mixture between irritation and amusement.

Lexa tickles River. “The tickle monster is going to get you.” She takes one of River’s hands in her mouth, careful not to actually bite him.

“Awa, Blu!” River shouts.

Clarke can’t contain her laughter. She finds it irresistible how cute her wife is with the children. Then there’s River who can’t properly pronounce Aqua’s and Blue’s name.

Aqua and Blue react to their younger brother needing help. They wraps themselves around Lexa’s legs and tug at her pants.

Lexa laughs along with her wife when Aqua and Blue try to climb up her legs. “Oh no, I’m being attacked.” She pitches her voice higher than usual. She holds the back of her right hand dramatically against her forehead. “I surrender.”

Octavia joins Lexa and Clarke in their fit of laughter. Other than that she’s completely unfazed by the commander behaving this way. She’s seen Lexa behaving like that before and she loves it.

Anya, Raven, Lincoln and Indra are staring wide-eyed at Lexa, their commander who is being so sweet around the children it would give them cavities. Surely they have seen her being cute with the children a few times, but a display like this is very rare for any of them to witness.

Abby and Kane look at each other and then at Clarke and Lexa.

Abby thinks the way she viewed Lexa may have been a bit wrong. The drifters have a blood oath, which Lexa created. That blood oath seemed barbaric to her. Then there is the way drifters behave sometimes, which made her think they behaved a bit like animals. Since the girls had been found, for most part she thought they turned into slightly barbaric animals, with a lack of authority. Of course over time she has seen their positive sides.

Abby feels like an idiot for not seeing more of the positive sides before. She had been too quick to judge them, too quick to assume they would be some type of savages. That time she went to their island to help Aqua, it surprised her to learn about them taking orphans in. That’s amazing and that doesn’t make them savages at all. She also learned about how they freed slaves from another island, which is amazing as well.

When she had asked for her daughter to visit her here, she hoped that maybe she could convince Clarke to stay with her. There are so many years she lost. Jake always had hope Clarke would still be alive, and he had been right. She felt like her daughter would be better off here than she would be on the island. Now that she sees how happy Clarke looks, she can’t rip that away from her. Her interpretation of Lexa has been wrong for the most part.

Abby knows now that Lexa actually has a very sweet side to her. She’s adorable around the children. When Lexa is not being the stoic commander, Lexa looks so small and fragile. She knows Lexa is still young. Lexa is only twenty years old, which is young to be a leader. It had been a shock to hear that Lexa has been their leader since she was twelve years old. She wonders what Lexa’s childhood was like. Considering the circumstances, she assumes Lexa barely had one.

Abby can tell that Lexa is doing her best to give the children a good childhood. Lexa sings to the children, tells them stories and plays with them. Seeing Lexa pretending to be a tickle monster makes her appreciate Lexa more. The smile she sees on Clarke’s face is one she’ll never forget. Perhaps she should accept that home for her daughter is the island, with the drifters. As much as she wishes Clarke’s home would be here with her, she can’t deny the fact that her daughter will always be so much happier on the island. Maybe she can visit the island sometimes when Clarke returns there.

Clarke and Lexa manage to settle down around the campfire with the others.

Lexa did have to drag Aqua and Blue along, who still hadn’t let go of her legs. She had looked at her wife for help, only to receive more laughter. Gently she plucked Aqua and Blue off of her legs. She thinks Aqua is an amazing big sister for River and Blue is an amazing big brother. She feels like they will be amazing for Skye and Lily as well.

Octavia props her elbows in her lap and rests her face in her hands. “I wonder how things are going on the island.” She shares her thoughts aloud.

“I wonder if Aden is able to handle the others.” Raven mocks. “I bet Jasper and Monty are giving him a hard time.” She thinks about how those two often get themselves in trouble. “They better not be touching any of my things.”

Anya nudges her wife. “Don’t want to lose your toys huh.”

“I don’t want our home to go boom.” Raven replies dryly. “As a matter of fact, I like our home the way it is, without holes in it.”

“I second that.” Lexa adds.

“Aden will rule them wisely.” Clarke says, convinced her right hand will do well. “He is smart and loyal.”

Lexa hopes Aden will keep the drifters at home in their reigns. Leaving her brother in charge seemed like the best choice. Aden is responsible and he is Clarke’s right hand. From all the drifters who are still on the island, Aden was the most qualified. It’s good that Roan will be helping her brother while she is absent. Roan has earned her trust, and she knows Roan will do anything he can to help. She hopes not to encounter any unpleasant surprises when they return.

Abby sits down next to Lexa and tentatively takes one of Lexa’s hands in both her hands. Her expressions are soft. She’s surprised that Lexa isn’t pulling away.

Lexa’s first instinct when Abby takes her hand is to pull away as if she’s burned. She decides against her first instinct and nods, letting Abby say what it is she wants to say.

Abby sees Lexa’s stoic look, but she assumed her brief nod is a sign for her to go on. “I’m sorry.” She whispers.

Lexa tilts her head, confused, asking a silent question.

“I have been wrong about you.” Abby clarifies. “You make my daughter happy, and that makes me happy.”

“Mom?” Clarke quirks her eyebrow. “Is this your way of giving your blessing or something?”

Clarke is surprised to see her mother behaving like that. It’s a pleasant surprise though. She feels like her mother is finally warming up to Lexa, which is good. She hopes that her mother truly opened her eyes this time. Her wife is amazing and it would be great if her mother can see that. Her mother telling Lexa that she had been wrong is a slight understatement. It does seem like her mother has been putting an effort into making amends, she has to give her mother some credit for that.

Abby manages to crack a smile. “I believe it is.” She admits, letting go of Lexa’s hand.

Kane runs inside to grab a few things. He returns with some sort of cauldron, milk, chocolate, plastic cups and a big serving spoon.

The drifters watch as Kane clumsily installs it above the campfire.

“I’m going to make chocolate milk.” Kane explains, answering their questioning looks. “You should all try it I think you might really like it.”

“Yeah I want to try it.” Raven replies. “Chocolate sounds good.”

Anya nods. “I’ll try a cup too.”

“Hot chocolate is good.” Lincoln pitches in. “I definitely want a cup, or two.”

Octavia chuckles at her husband’s reaction. “Well if Lincoln likes it so much, I’ll try it.”

Lincoln cups his wife’s cheeks. “You’ll love it.” He kisses her softly.

Kane fills some cups and hands them out. “Be careful, it’s hot.” He warns. “You have to blow in it a little, so you don’t burn your tongue.”

Raven wipes her mouth with her sleeve when her cup is empty. “I gotta say, that was good.”

Lexa rolls her eyes at Raven. “We do not wipe our mouths with our sleeves, Raven.”

“Ugh fine, whatever.” Raven groans and waves it off.

Raven is used to Lexa correcting her. It’s tough to take it serious. She is who she is, and Lexa knows that. That never stops Lexa from correcting her. They both have their own habits.

Abby watches the little interaction between Raven and Lexa. She notes that Lexa has manners, which appear important to her and which she passes on to the other drifters. She should have noticed this before, by the way the children say please and thank you, when needed. Or by the way Lexa makes them clean their feet before they enter her house. She should also have noticed how often Lexa commented when Raven uses bad language. Her daughter in law is not so bad.

Lexa knows Raven tends to lack her authority. Though in the end, Raven does listen to her commands. Unfortunately she can’t stop certain behaviors from Raven. With Raven she can let it slide, since Raven is her sister’s wife. Though that doesn’t mean she would blatantly ignore Raven’s behavior.

Kane offers the drifters some napkins.

“A little late you know.” Raven comments while she accepts a napkin from Kane. “Could have used this earlier.”

“You’re being grumpy.” Anya whispers to her wife.

Raven shrugs. “You married me, you’re stuck with me.”

“What a shame.” Anya replies playfully with a wink.

“Pff, I know you love me.”

 

* * *

 

 

Aden orders Roan and Ontari to gather the children, including the new children. Today he wants to test which skills they have, and which skills they need to learn or improve. He interlaces his fingers with Ellis’. Together they wait outside the huts. A few items are spread out onto the sand.

There are swords, daggers and spears, amongst other things. Aden will check their skills in battle, their skills to spear fish and their skills to climb trees. Once he makes all the children try everything, he will divide them in teams, depending on which skill is their strongest and which skill is their weakest.

Aden decides that the ones who cannot climb trees very well, will be teamed up with Harper, Monroe, Monty and Miller to practice climbing trees. The ones who cannot spear fish properly, will be teamed up with Ontari and Luna.

Aden will select a few to stay with him and Ellis to train and battle. He has a hunch Tris and Artigas might be good candidates to be trained as warriors. The drifters do not have many warriors. Currently the only drifters on the island who are warriors are Harper, Monroe and himself. The other warriors are on that trip with Lexa and Clarke. The other drifters have yet to earn the title of warriors.

Aden knows that the warriors the drifters have are Lexa, of course, no surprise there. Then there’s Clarke, Anya, Raven, Octavia, Lincoln, Indra, Kai, Harper, Monroe and Aden. That’s it. The drifters only have eleven warriors. Some other drifters are still training to be warriors. Kai is the youngest warrior, being only four years old. Lexa awarded Kai that title for his outstanding bravery during their fight against Jrot, though Aden knows that Lexa will not pick Kai to fight until he has grown up.

The children gather and look at Aden expectantly. The new children mainly look confused.

Aden holds his hands up to speak, the same way Lexa always holds her up when she’s about to speak.

“Children, today we will test your skills.” Aden announces with a loud and strong voice. “According to your skills, we will divide you into teams.” He points to the swords in front of him on the sand. “Pick up a sword, dagger or stick.” He instructs.

The children kneel down to select one of the weapons.

“You will battle against each other.” Aden commands. “I will watch you, and I will select a few of you.” He grabs his own sword. “The ones who I will not select will train either climbing trees or spearing fish, depending on which of those two is your weakest skill.”

Aden motions for Ellis, Roan and Ontari to approach. “The three of you will battle as well, to test the children’s fighting skills.”

Aden holds his sword up fight. “Let the battle begin!” He commands.

Some children do their best to fight fiercely, desperately wanting to impress Aden. Some others appear hesitant.

From the corner of his eyes, Aden sees that Fox is shaking a bit and backing away, even when a younger child half her height tries to battle against her. Though the younger child was already on the island and already had been training. He doubts Fox has any training.

“Fox, you’re out.” Aden calls out. “You will practice climbing trees with Harper, Monroe, Monty and Miller.”

Harper grabs Fox’s wrist gently, and guides her to the trees.

Aden has a small smile on his face when Tris and Artigas approach him, challenging him. This is interesting. He can tell they want to be warriors. It is a smart decision of them to pick him for a battle. This way he can test their skills personally, up close.

Artigas fights strong, but doesn’t manage to defeat Aden.

Aden does give him credit for standing up after being knocked down four times. After that he orders Artigas to sit down on the side, to wait and watch the others.

Tris manages to cut Aden a few times, receiving a few cuts too.

Aden holds his hands up. He has seen enough. He chooses to keep Ellis, Tris and Artigas in his team today, along with a few other children. The rest he orders to either practice climbing trees or practice spearing fish.

“Roan.” Aden calls out. “Let Fox know that she is selected to be a caretaker for the younger children.”

Aden has seen how fragile Fox is. Letting her be a caretaker for the younger children seems like the best task to give her.

Aden trains with the few children he selected. He is almost certain that Tris and Artigas have the potential to be warriors. Ellis has potential too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yup, now Fox, Charlotte, Tris and Artigas are on the island too. 
> 
> Some may wonder where Finn is. Probably floating himself :) 
> 
> The next chapter will have an unexpected twist.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aden hears that there is an enemy the drifters didn't know about yet...

Clarke and Lexa are helping their children to put their pajamas on. The others are in their room to help too.

“Hey, Anya and Raven.” Clarke whispers.

“Hmm?” Raven replies.

“Could you two maybe uh… let out children sleep in your room for the night?” Clarke asks, shuffling on her feet. “The next night Lexa and I can let Kai sleep with us.”

Anya crosses her arms. “You want us to take five more kids into our room?”

“Uh yes, then Lexa and I can have a night to ourselves and uh the next you will have a night to yourselves.”

“We also want to ask another thing.” Lexa pitches in. “When we return, we want a cabin to ourselves, so you two will have to share with Octavia, Lincoln and Indra.”

Raven gapes. “Lexa, that’s a week!”

“I know.” Lexa bites her lip. “If you say yes, Kai can sleep in our hut for a week when we return.”

“Mhm.” Anya licks her lips. “If we say yes to that, you will run after Kai each time he sneaks out.”

Lexa sighs. “Yes, of course.” She has a hunch those nights will be quite restless.

Raven grins. “Deal.”

Lexa wouldn’t mind it so much to share a cabin, but having some privacy is welcome. Plus, with Anya in her cabin it can be awkward, because Anya is her sister and there are things Anya does with Raven that makes her want to clean her eyes with bleach. The sight of Raven groping her sister is something she wishes could be unseen.

“When do we go home, mommy?” Aqua asks, looking up at her mother.

Clarke is grabbing pink pajamas for Aqua. “Soon, baby.” It’s a silent promise.

Lexa exchanges looks with her wife. It’s up to Clarke to decide how long they will stay. She knows her father and Jake are staying at a place nearby, waiting for a signal from Indra that they want to return home.

“We could uh…” Clarke hesitates. “A few more days?”

Lexa thinks about it for a moment. If they return soon, it would be around three weeks of them having been gone from home. If they stretch it longer, it could be four weeks. She’s not quite comfortable with leaving the other drifters alone for so long. They do have Aden, but it isn’t the same.

Clarke clears her throat, wanting an answer from her wife.

Lexa snaps out of her thoughts and nods. “A few days.”

“Good.” Clarke nods. “Indra could uh… let Gustus and my dad know tomorrow and we could start packing our bags tomorrow.”

Lexa nods and turns to look at Indra, who is standing in their room. “Contact my father tomorrow. Let him know we seek to return home.”

“As you wish, commander.”

 

* * *

 

 

Aden sits around the campfire with the drifters, Roan and Roan’s warriors. He praises the children for the skills they have portrayed. Not all of them are skilled yet, but they are learning.

Aden is relieved to see that the children are warming up to Fox, while she is warming up to them. Fox will be an excellent caretaker, especially for the younger children who have not been adopted by any of the older drifters. He sees that Charlotte is fitting in well with the other children.

Tris and Artigas are keeping their distance from the other children. They are sitting on a tree log with a few of Roan’s warriors. Aden doesn’t mind it if they don’t particularly warm up to the other children, as long as they do not harm anyone.

“You are staring at everyone again.” Ellis notes, silently whispering so others can’t hear.

Aden shakes his head. “I am merely observing.” His eyes linger on the soft expressions of Ellis’ face. His fingers ache to trace the freckles on her face, and to tuck a strand of her auburn hair behind her ear.

Ellis leans closer towards Aden. “Now you’re staring at me.” Her face is barely an inch away from Aden’s face.

“I am admiring how beautiful you are.” Aden whispers. He feels Ellis’ warm breath on his lips.

“Kiss, kiss, kiss!” Jasper chants.

Aden glares angrily at Jasper. “Shof op!”

Jasper shoots Aden a confused look. “Shof op?”

Aden grumbles silently. “Be quiet.” He explains.

He never slipped up like that before. He was only eleven when Anya saved him from his small sinking rubber boat, during a storm, the storm in which his parents drowned. His parents spoke another language, next to English. It was a language his people spoke. He never learned the full language, only some words here and there.

With Jasper interrupting his moment with Ellis, it slipped away from him. The drifters don’t know this. He never told anyone because it didn’t seem important, and he doesn’t want to appear as an outsider.

“You’re making words up.” Jasper mutters.

“I do not make them up.” Aden replies. His eyes narrow. “Be quiet.”

Jasper huffs. “It sounds like you are making words up, I never heard anything like that and-” He freezes when there’s a knife against his throat.

“Be silent.” Ontari hisses, holding her knife close to Jasper’s throat. “You are disrespecting Aden.”

Jasper’s face pales. He wants to ask Ontari why she would even care, since she’s not a drifter. Why would Ontari defend Aden? Ontari never even got along with Aden. The fact that Ontari is threatening him makes him decide not to say or ask anything.

Aden flicks his wrist, to order Ontari to let Jasper go. Jasper shouldn’t make a big deal out of this.

Ontari slowly lowers her knife and pushes Jasper towards the nearest tree log.

Jasper scowls when he sits down on the tree log.

“I want to have a word with you, Aden.” Ontari says evenly.

Aden nods. He kisses Ellis and stands up to have a word with Ontari.

Ontari guides him far enough so the others can’t hear them.

“Those words you said, I heard them before.” Ontari whispers, eyeing Aden.

Aden pauses for a moment. “Do you know of my people?”

Guilt plagues him. The drifters are his people. Before the drifters, there were others. His parents had people. His memories are vague. Not all of them were on the boat with his parents. No, definitely not.

Ontari nods.

“Speak true.” Aden demands.

Ontari takes a few deep breaths, steadying herself. “There is an enemy. Your… people…” She knows the drifters are Aden’s people now. She swallows before continuing. “Your people were tormented by that enemy. The island where your people once lived is no longer.”

Aden is taken aback. “What do you mean that island is no longer?”

“It is not what it used to be.”

“Do you know of this enemy?” Aden struggles to believe this. “We defeated enemies. Nia is gone, Jrot is gone, the… pirates.” Aden stumbles over his last word.

He knows Ontari’s father was a pirate. Ontari’s father was a pirate, who attacked the drifters with other pirates. Back then Aden and the other drifters didn’t know about Ontari. He knows that Ontari knows what the drifters did to her father and he knows that she knows why they did that. Ontari never seemed to show emotions about it at all. He wonders if she is shielding the pain on the inside, like she is shielding the pain about Skye’s and Lily’s parents, who she could not save in the fire, where she burned herself to get the twins out.

Ontari feels a weight pressing against her chest. Her father was a pirate. She loved her father, but he was ruthless. She does not approve of the actions he made and the wars he provoked. “The enemy who attacked your people is a different enemy. I think he may have captured your people back then.” She sighs. “You have been here for eight years, yes?”

Aden nods. It has been eight years.

“Then your people are no more.” Ontari concludes.

“Tell me about this enemy.”

“They are known by some. The island where they live is called Mountain Island. They are ruled by a man named Cage.” Ontari replies earnestly, with all the information she has. “It is rumored that they capture entire tribes for their own special projects.”

Aden raises his eyebrow. “What kind of special projects?”

“I do not know.” Ontari sighs. “Nobody knows, because nobody ever escaped.”

“That does not mean that my old people are death. It does not mean anyone they captured would be death.”

“The water around Mount Island is not safe. A few warriors have reported they found bodies in the water.”

Aden feels a shiver run down his spine. “We cannot let them find the drifters nor Roan’s people.”

“This island is tough to find. Maps do not have this island on them.” Ontari shrugs. “However, I do fear taking in orphans has been drawing attention to this island.”

“Majority of the drifters are children.” Aden replies.

“Yes. Unfortunately Cage is even more ruthless than Nia was. Nia often kept children as slaves. Cage would not bat an eye to use children for those projects. This island will become a target, especially when Cage hears you are alive.”

Aden blinks. “What do I have to do with this?”

“According to the rumors, Cage did not manage to capture a few people from your tribe, since they were sailing around at sea. When the storm broke loose, it was rumored the last of your people drowned, including the young prince.” Ontari points at Aden. “You are that young prince, you must be.” She licks her lips. “I never knew it was you, but when you told Jasper to be quiet in your other language, that’s when I knew.”

“I… I’m a prince?” Aden stammers.

“Yes. Since your parents drowned you are a king, actually. Unfortunately your old tribe is gone. You were a prince for your old people and would have been their king. Here for the drifters, you are Aden, not more.”

“Ontari… You know so much.”

Ontari nods. “Many rumors spread.”

Aden does something he never thought he’d do. He hugs Ontari. He’s thankful for everything she’s doing.

“Aden… What…” Ontari pushes Aden away.

“You keep helping the people on this island.”

Ontari shakes her head. “No, I’m not helping. I’m sharing the knowledge that I have.” She would not admit that she does want to help.

“I see and hear all.” Aden half-lies. He has heard and seen a lot from Ontari, at times where she believed nobody was around.

“You are deluding yourself, Aden.” Ontari snaps. “You know nothing.”

“If that is what you wish to believe.” Aden replies calmly. He makes his way to go back to the tree log he was sitting on with Ellis.

“Hod op.” Ontari whispers.

Aden turns around, wondering why Ontari wants him to wait.

“Your people… your old people, they had a code.”

Aden tilts his head. “What was their code?” He has so many questions and it appears that Ontari has some answers.

Ontari leans closer to whisper in Aden’s ear. “Jus drein jus daun.”

Aden is unfamiliar with that phrase. His vague knowledge of words does not include those.

“What does that mean, Ontari?” Aden wants to know what code his old people had.

Ontari feels her blood running cold. Her voice is icy when she replies. “Blood must have blood.”

Aden lets it sink in. “My old people… the ones who are lost…” He swallows thickly. “This code means I would have to avenge them.”

“Not necessarily.” Ontari assures him. “You are a drifter, have been a drifter for eight years. You do not have to follow that code.”

“The drifters will be in danger, because of me.” Aden mutters silently. He should have drowned eight years ago. With him being alive, the danger for the drifters increases.

“Not more than they already will be.”

“Ontari, the danger will be bigger because I’m alive.”

Ontari takes Aden’s hands and looks deeply into his eyes. “No, Aden. Don’t tell anyone who you are. You can tell Lexa if you want, but don’t tell anyone else. It is safer if your true identity remains unknown.” She squeezes Aden’s hands. “Unspeakable things can happen if Cage finds out who you are.”

“I have to go and make sure the drifters remain unharmed.”

Ontari shakes her head. “Aden, no. Cage will kill you in the worst possible way.”

“Ontari, why are you helping me?”

Ontari shakes her head. “I’m not helping. I’m only passing on important knowledge.”

Aden’s expressions harden. “Speak true, Ontari.” He pulls his hands back and clasps them behind his back.

Ontari knows she can’t outrun the truth forever. “I… care.” She spits it out like venom. She had been conditioned not to care when she grew up, but her own nature told her differently.

Aden’s eyes soften and he hugs Ontari again. “Thank you.” He whispers.

“Y-you’re welcome.” Ontari pushes Aden away. “Now stop hugging me.”

“I am happy that you have Luna. You deserve love, you know?”

Ontari shrugs. “I do not know what you are talking about, Aden.”

A smile tugs at Aden’s lips as Ontari walks away, denying the truth.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke gently touches her wife’s shoulder. “Hey, what’s wrong?” She had noticed how Lexa kept tossing and turning.

“I have a bad feeling.”

“A bad feeling about what, Lexa?”

Lexa props herself up on her elbow and looks at her wife. “About our home.”

“You’re worried something is going on?”

Lexa nods. She can’t quite explain it. It’s a gut feeling.

Clarke nuzzles her head in her wife’s hair and kisses her cheek. “We should go home. We can sail out tomorrow.”

“I thought you wanted to stay here a few more days.” Lexa is surprised.

“Lexa, you’re my wife. If you think something is wrong, you could be right. Our people need us, they need you.”

Lexa kisses her wife’s nose. “I love you, Clarke.”

“I love you too, Lexa.” Clarke rolls around in the bed. “There is so much space now that our children are sleeping with Anya and Raven.”

“Hmm.” Lexa wraps her wife in her arms. “We should utilize this space.”

“I agree.” Clarke hums.

Lexa strokes her wife’s hair and peppers her cheeks with kisses. She enjoys sharing her body heat with Clarke. It feels so comfortable, so much like home. She had missed cuddling with her wife at night, since they had been sleeping with Aqua, Blue and River in between them. At home they always cuddle. If time could stand still for a while, it would be perfect.

Clarke shares a passionate kiss with her wife. She can’t decide what she enjoys most; cuddling her wife or kissing her wife. Both are perfect. Anything with Lexa is perfect.

“At the crack of dawn, we will pack our bags.” Lexa whispers.

“Okay, Lexa.” Clarke smiles a little. “It will be good to be on our way home tomorrow.”

“Will you miss your mother?”

Clarke sighs. “I yeah… I guess a bit. It’s been ten years since… you know, the storm.”

Lexa nods. “It has been ten years, yes.”

“I barely know my mother since that storm happened… I mean, we arrived at civilization once when we were found, but then I only saw my mother at the beach and it went bad.” Clarke takes a deep breath. “After that she came to the island when we were worried about Aqua and now we’re here because she invited us.”

“I am sorry about all the years you have lost with your parents, Clarke.”

“I had you, Lexa and the others, but most importantly, I had you.”

Lexa takes her wife’s hands. “You will always have me, Clarke. I am yours for eternity.”

Clarke nods. “We will always find each other, in this life and the next.”

Lexa presses a soft kiss onto her wife’s lips. “I promise.”

Clarke smiles brightly. “I promise too.”

 

* * *

 

 

Raven groans. “I can’t believe we’re sharing this bed with Kai, Aqua, Blue and River.” She whispers to her wife.

“Yeah tell me about it.” Anya agrees. “We should have bargained a better deal.”

“Clarke and Lexa are insane to have five kids.” Raven mutters.

Raven looks at Aqua, Blue and River who are in their bed. Then there’s Skye and Lily who are in the crib. Personally she feels like one kid is enough.

Anya nods slowly. “Clarke convinced Lexa and of course that dork can’t say no.”

“Those two are completely smitten.”

Anya chuckles lightly. “Yes, they are obvious.” She looks at her wife. “Do you think Kai is enough for us?”

“What do you mean, babe?”

“Have you ever thought about adopting a second child?”

“Uh no… not really.” Raven whispers. “Why? Do you want a second child?”

Anya shrugs. “Nah, Kai is enough.”

“Are you sure?”

“Perhaps someday we could adopt a second child.”

“Well uh…” Raven gestures to Clarke’s and Lexa’s children. “We could take one of them. Clarke and Lexa might not notice.”

“Oh believe me, Lexa will notice and I bet Clarke will notice too.”

“Shh auntie.” Aqua murmurs with a sleepy voice.

Raven snorts. “Yeah Anya, shh.”

Anya grabs her pillow and tosses it at her wife. “Shut up.”

“Ow.” Raven rubs her head. “Can you believe that we’re aunties of those five little ones?”

“They’re cute little squirts.”

 

* * *

 

 

Aden gathers Roan and Ontari in his hut, before the sun rises and the drifters wake up.

“A war is brewing.” Ontari says. “A war with Cage and the others from Mountain Island.”

Roan looks at Ontari and sighs.

“I told Aden about Mountain Island, Roan.” Ontari explains. “The drifters need to know this.”

“We have to train the children more.” Aden concludes. “We need to prepare for the worst.”

“I can arrange more warriors from my island.” Roan offers.

Aden nods. “We mustn’t underestimate our enemy.”

“As an ally and a friend of the drifters, I will offer anyone I can to fight with the drifters.” Roan’s voice is powerful. “My people will stand by your side, as will I.”

“Drifters have defeated enemies before.” Aden says coolly. “We will defeat our enemies on Mountain Island as well.”

Roan sighs. “I certainly hope that is true, Aden. The people on Mountain Island are a greater threat than any other enemies were.”

“We thought we had peace after defeating the sea monster, Jrot.” Aden grumbles. “Are there any other enemies aside from the ones on Mountain Island?”

Roan shakes his head. “Not that is known of. Our enemies on Mountain Island will be difficult to defeat. They are… different.”

Aden looks at Roan. “Different how?”

“They have technology and their weapons are different.” Roan explains. “They do not use swords, spears and daggers like we do.”

“Why are they not defeated yet if it is known that they exist and are a danger?” Aden asks curiously.

“There was a tribe on an island, years ago.” Roan sighs deeply. “They tried to defeat Cage and his people. Those people are no more.”

Aden feels like someone just stabbed him. His old people tried to defeat the enemies on Mountain Island. His old people died for this. He was never meant to survive that storm. Roan doesn’t know this. Ontari words play through his mind. He can’t tell anyone, only Lexa when she returns, because she is the commander.

“You are saying the enemy on Mountain Island is powerful.”

Roan nods. “The enemy on Mountain Island is strong. Their threat is greater than Nia, Jrot and the pirates combined. The tribe who tried to defeat Cage and his people were strong. They all got captured. The king and his wife drowned, along with their son, the prince.”

“You say they use technology.” Aden notes, backtracking what Roan previously said.

Roan nods briefly. “Advanced technology.” He wiggles his foot, lost in his thoughts for a moment. “Nobody on my island and nobody on this island knows anything about technology. Few may have basic knowledge.”

Aden blinks his eyes open. “Raven.” He whispers. “We need Raven, she understands technology.”

“Right…” Ontari whispers. “Slight problem, Raven is at civilization with Lexa and some other drifters.”

“Lexa and the others should be returning in a week or two.” Aden replies. “Until then, everyone has to train harder so we can prepare.”

“What are your orders?” Roan asks.

“Go wake everyone up. Gather them on the beach. Figure out which weapons they are best skilled with and let them practice with it.” Aden commands. “I want every man, woman and child on the beach right now.” His voice is strong and demanding obedience.

“Yes, Aden.” Roan and Ontari reply in unison.

Aden prepares himself while Roan and Ontari gather everyone on the beach. Once he is ready with his sword and daggers, he walks outside to where the others have gathered on the beach. Some drifters tossed an oversized shirt on, rather than taking the time to put a full outfit on.

Aden holds his hands up and revels at the silence that follows.

“Drifters and allies. Select the weapons you are most skilled with. Everyone will train their fighting skills.”

The drifters and allies kneel down to grab the weapons they choose.

“When you fall down, you will stand up again.” Aden commands. “No matter if you are five, eighteen or older, you will train.”

Aden dislikes having to be so hard on all of them, but he has to. He cannot leave the children without any training. The children must learn as much as they can. When they fight against the people on Mountain Island, they will need to select as many people as possible to fight with them, even some who aren’t warriors. Some of the older children will be called forward to fight, he is sure of that. Training everyone is a precaution in case the people from Mountain Island approach the island.

“I thought this island was peaceful.” Charlotte replies, shocked about Aden’s orders.

“You are speaking out of turn.” Aden replies, warning her. “You are new, so I will let it slide this once. Nobody is to speak when I am holding my hands up to give orders.”

Charlotte nods and bites her lip.

“Roan and Ontari.” Aden calls out. “You two will help me to correct everyone’s fighting stance and the way they hold and use their weapons.”

Aden flicks his wrist, letting them all begin. He hopes Lexa and the others will return soon. Lexa is not going to like to hear that a war is brewing. He wishes he could warn her, to keep the young children away. Aqua, Blue, River, Skye, Lily, Kai and Emily are the youngest drifters, and they are all at civilization with Lexa and the others. Those children are very young, age one to four. If Lexa would have the knowledge he has, she might choose to keep the children away until Mountain Island is defeated. Unfortunately he has no way to let her know.

 

* * *

 

 

Abby is confused when she sees her daughter and the others are packing. “Are you all leaving already?”

“Yes, mom, we will be leaving today.” Clarke replies. “Our people need us.”

“By the time we are back, it will be almost three weeks since we have been gone.” Octavia chimes in.

“Yeah, we miss the others.” Raven adds.

“You are welcome to visit us when you’d like, Abby.” Lexa says.

Abby tries to smile, but she feels sad to see them all leave so soon. “I’ll visit in a few weeks. I have something I want you all to have.” She runs into her own room to grab something and hands it to her daughter.

“What is this, mom?”

“It’s a medical kit. Perhaps you will be able to use it.” Abby replies.

Clarke nods. “Echo is our healer she might be able to use this.” She’s still learning to be a better healer herself.

“Are we going home, mommy?” Aqua asks with twinkling eyes.

“Yes, baby, we are going home.”

Kai claps his hands. “Home!” He shrieks happily.

Blue takes some clothes in his tiny arms. “I’m packing my bag.” He walks to the closest suitcase and props the clothes in it. “See, mama.” He looks at Lexa.

Lexa smiles brightly. “Very good, Blue.”

“I will go to Gustus and Jake to inform them.” Indra announces.

“I eh… I can take you all to the beach.” Abby offers. “You could all meet up with Gustus and Jake there.”

Lexa nods. “Indra, let them know to wait for us on the beach.”

“Yes, commander.”

Raven claps her hands. “Attention kids, we are going home. This is not a drill.”

“Take your bags everyone.” Lexa says. “We are going home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A war is brewing, Lexa has a bad feeling and finally is on her way home with the others...


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa arrives back onto the island, to receive the not so good news from Aden.

Gustus and Jake await Lexa and the others on the beach, near Gustus’ ship. After Indra informed them, they had made their way to the beach to prepare the ship.

Jake had been helping Gustus to get some supplies on board, as a gift for the drifters on the island.

Lexa and the others arrive at the beach. The adults are all carrying bags and suitcases.

The children follow their parents, while holding each other’s hand. The moment their little feet reach the sand, they kick their shoes off.

Octavia chuckles at the sight of tiny shoes flying around. She can’t wait to take her shoes off too.

Lexa is fine with them kicking their shoes off. They’re probably better off without the shoes anyway. On their way to the beach, Skye fell on the streets and scraped her knee. She hadn’t been happy about her daughter falling, but Skye didn’t cry. Skye stood back up like nothing had happened.

Clarke had wanted to carry the twins, but with all the bags and suitcases it was not an option. She had to let them walk. Especially since they are returning with more bags and suitcases than they originally brought.

Abby hadn’t been able to help herself. She gave them extra bags and suitcases, filled with clothes and other things. Even bags filled with soap. She told her daughter all of it is gifts because she wants to help.

Gustus and Jake quickly approach Lexa and the others to take over some bags and suitcases, to carry them on board of Gustus’ ship.

Abby kneels down. “Can I get a hug from my grandchildren?” She holds her arms open with a smile on her face.

Clarke gently nudges her children. “Go hug your grandmother.”

Abby’s smile widens when Aqua, Blue, River, Skye and Lily wiggle themselves in her arms.

“It is time to go. We are ready.” Gustus announces.

Lexa nods at her father.

“It’s time to go, babies.” Clarke says loudly.

Kane ruffles the children’s hair and smiles at them.

Abby releases her grandchildren from the hug. She walks over to her daughter. “I’ll miss you, Clarke.”

Clarke can see the pained expression on her mother’s face. “I’ll miss you too, mom.”

“You’re always welcome to visit us.” Kane says. “Don’t be a stranger.”

Lexa helps the children to get on board, by handing them to Gustus and Jake, one by one.

“Bye, bye.” Aqua waves her hand at Abby and Kane.

“Are there three cabins for us, father?” Lexa asks her father.

“Yes, and there is sand in one cabin for the children.” Gustus replies.

“Thank you, father.” Lexa smiles briefly.

Octavia nudges Raven. “Looks like you and Anya will be stuck in a cabin with Indra, Lincoln and me.”

Raven kisses Octavia’s cheek. “You’ll be good company.” She winks.

Octavia swings her arm around Raven. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

Anya groans. “Can you two stop acting like a couple? Ugh, it’s gross.”

“Come on, babe, don’t be jealous.” Raven smirks. “I’m your wife, remember? And Octavia is Lincoln’s wife.” She wraps her arms around Anya’s waist. “You know I’m all yours, I’m just messing around.”

Anya puffs. “I’m not jealous.”

“I think it’s kinda hot that you are.”

“Raven, I’m not jealous.”

“Knock it off you two.” Lexa says, grunting. “I am not going to spend the rest of this trip, listening to you two bickering.”

“Shut up, Lexa.” Raven replies. “You’ll have your own cabin with Clarke.”

“How dare you tell me to shut up?” Lexa gasps.

Clarke crosses her arms and stands next to the children. She points at Lexa, Raven, Anya and Octavia. “And that children is how the older children behave.” The tone of her voice is not amused at all. 

Lexa’s jaw drops and she turns around. “This is an outrage, I am the commander.” She clenches her fists. “Raven you will not be allowed to use any technology during this trip.”

“Now you’re punishing me?” Raven replies shocked. “I’m a year older than you!”

Anya elbows her wife. “Shush, you’re making it worse.”

Lexa’s face turns red, still angry.

Clarke places a hand on her wife’s shoulder, feeling Lexa relax. “You’re cute when you’re angry.” She gives her wife a chaste kiss.

Lexa crosses her arms. “I am not cute, Clarke.”

Raven walks off after Gustus. “So Gustus, where’s that radio of yours?”

“Raven, I told you no technology for a week!” Lexa shouts. “You will obey me.”

“Take it easy, Lex.” Anya whispers.

“Fine.” Lexa clenches her jaw. She grabs her wife’s wrist. “We are going to get our suitcase into our cabin.”

“Yeah sure, we will watch the children.” Octavia grins. “Thank you for asking.”

 

* * *

 

 

Aden points at a tree. “Grab a dagger and aim it at that tree, one at a time.” He commands. He grabs his own dagger and throws it at the tree. “Like that.”

Roan and Ontari are standing next to Aden. Together they are observing the drifters and Roan’s warriors, to see which skills they have.

“The children might be able to use this.” Aden whispers to Roan and Ontari. “If Cage and his people come to the island, it would help if the children can manage to throw a dagger at a target.”

“Some of the children are barely older than five.” Roan replies, worry showing in his eyes. “Children so young should not have to do this.”

“I hope they will not have to.” Aden sighs. “It is for their safety. We have to prepare for the worst.”

“What do you think would be the worst?” Roan asks.

“In the worst case, Cage and his people attack our island before Lexa and the others are back, kill all the adults, so only the children would be left.” Aden’s voice doesn’t waver. “In the worst case the children would be left to fend for themselves.”

“I agree that preparing for the worst is a good choice.” Ontari adds. “We might have a small advantage because the children have been training and are still getting trained.”

Roan scratches his beard. “Cage would not expect that.”

“I hope Lexa and the others will be back before anything happens.” Aden whispers. “Raven will give us another advantage, with her knowledge about technology.”

Ontari sighs. “We are counting on trained children and Raven as our secret weapons.”

“Once Lexa is back, we will create a plan to defeat Mountain Island.” Aden replies, keeping his voice low.

Roan points at a few children. “Those have potential.”

“I hate having to send children to a fight like that.” Ontari sighs deeply. “Unfortunately we need all the people we can get to fight on our side, including some children.”

Aden nods. “Tris and Artigas will fight.” He takes a deep breath. “When Lexa returns, I think she will agree with that.”

Ontari shrugs and looks at the children. “They are just children. They shouldn’t have to carry the weight of war. When a plan is created, it has to work. Mountain Island needs to be gone.” She whispers with a determined voice.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke places her suitcase in the cabin and looks at her wife, who is chewing on her bottom lip. She knows something was off on the deck. Lexa had snapped at Raven.

“You seemed really on edge on the deck.” Clarke whispers softly.

“I suppose I am.” Lexa shamefully admits.

“You were a little harsh on Raven.”

Lexa nods. “You are right, Clarke.”

Clarke places a hand on her wife’s shoulder and squeezes lightly. “I know you’re the commander, but you were a bit out of line. Raven is not always the easiest, but I haven’t seen you letting it get under your skin so much before.”

“I am worried about our people, something feels wrong and I do not have time for Raven’s antics.”

“That is why we are going home, Lexa. You can’t go around snapping at people like that.”

Lexa dips her head. “I apologize, Clarke.”

Clarke shakes her head and waves her hand. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing too.”

Lexa steps closer to her wife and cups her cheeks. Her lips attach themselves to Clarke’s easily. She relaxes when her wife kisses her back.

Clarke pulls back and holds her wife at an arm’s length. Her eyes stare deeply into Lexa’s. She wants to take her worries away, let her know they will all be safe. How can she say they are or will be safe if she does not know?

Lexa sighs. “I am going to go find Raven.”

Clarke nods with a small smile.

Lexa walks out of the cabin and looks around for Raven, quickly finding her next to Gustus with a radio in her hands.

Raven stares at Lexa and drops the radio. She doesn’t want the commander to freak out again.

Lexa feels guilty to see Raven’s reaction changing so fast upon seeing her. One moment she was smirking and tinkering with that radio in her hands, the next she drops the radio and looks as if she will bite her.

Raven is stunned when Lexa pulls her into a hug and murmurs apologies in her ear. “Uh yeah, it’s fine, Lexa.” She whispers awkwardly.

 

* * *

 

 

Anya returns from her cabin, after she put her suitcase there. When she walks onto the deck, she sees the drifters sitting in a circle, with a bottle in the middle.

“Are you all seriously playing spin the bottle?” Anya asks with a surprised tone. “Let me guess, it was Raven’s idea.”

Raven smirks. “Of course it was my idea, I’m a genius remember.” She replies proudly.

Anya crosses her arms and sits down next to Raven and Octavia. “You do know when you spin it you have to kiss the person the bottle lands on, right?”  She looks at them one by one.

Octavia laughs. “That’s kind of gross, and that’s not how we’re playing it.” She points at Raven. “She suggested playing this and when it lands on someone, you have to hug or kiss their cheek.”

“I think it’s cute.” Clarke says.

“Okay, I’m in.” Anya replies.

Aqua is the first one to spin the bottle. She spins it and shrieks when it lands on Kai. She holds her hands out for Kai.

Kai approaches Aqua and gives her a hug.

“Awe.” Clarke melts. “They are so cute.”

Kai gets to spin the bottle next. They decided that when the bottle lands on someone, they get to have the next turn. The bottle lands on Lexa.

Lexa prepares herself to hug Kai. Instead, Kai kisses her cheek.

“Now that is cute.” Raven grins.

Lexa waves Raven off and spins the bottle. It lands on Octavia. She wraps Octavia in a tight hug.

“Ow, you’re crushing me.” Octavia groans.

Octavia pulls away and spins the bottle. It lands on Indra. She gives Indra an awkward hug, knowing that Indra is not the type to hug people.

Indra awkwardly spins the bottle, asking herself why she agreed to play this.

They spin the bottle a few more times when Jake asks if he may join them.

Clarke spins the bottle and it lands on Lexa. She leans closer towards her wife and kisses her, one of her hands in the crook of Lexa’s neck, pulling her closer, deepening their kiss.

Anya clears her throat until they stop.

A few spins later, Raven’s spin lands the bottle on Octavia. She pulls Octavia close and kisses her cheek.

Clarke chuckles when Raven and Octavia pepper each other’s cheeks with kisses. “You two are so close it’s amazing you didn’t marry each other.”

“Raven was thirteen when she got together with Anya.” Lexa recalls. “Back then Octavia was a little ten year old girl.”

“Hmm yeah that’s true.” Clarke nods. She looks at Raven. “I wonder what would have happened if Octavia had been a bit older or if you would have been single a bit longer. What do you think?”

Raven shrugs. “Are we playing truth or dare now?” She takes Anya’s hand. “Anya is my wife. It’s always been Anya for me.”

“And I’m not even gay.” Octavia chimes in. “Plus I married Lincoln and we have a daughter together. Raven is a close friend, that’s all.”

Clarke nods. “Yeah you’re both right.”

Anya fondly holds Raven in her arms. “Our marriage is sacred. Cheating does not exist amongst drifters.”

“I wonder what would happen if a drifter would cheat.” Raven wonders out loud. “Just a curious thought, I swear.” She assures.

Lexa licks her lips. “If a drifter cheats, they will be banished.”

Raven gasps. “Wow really, banished?”

“Yes. I would not take lightly on such a thing. Cheating will not be tolerated.”

“I wholeheartedly agree.” Anya chimes in. “There is no way cheaters would honor our sacred blood oath. Thus, cheaters are unworthy of being drifters.”

Lexa nods. “Exactly what Anya said.”

“Anyone wanna play truth or dare?” Raven asks. When they nod, she decides to take the first turn. “Um Lexa, truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

Raven grins. “You know those ice cubes Gustus has?” She sees Lexa nod. “I dare you to take a handful of those and toss them under your shirt.”

Lexa stands up and looks at Anya. “Your wife is pure evil.”

Anya laughs. “You have no idea.”

Lexa comes back with a handful of ice cubes. She jumps up when she tosses them in her shirt. “This is so cold!!!” She grumbles. “Octavia, truth or dare?”

“Hmm.” Octavia smacks her lips. “Truth.”

“If you had to kiss one of us, not Lincoln, who would you choose?”

“Oh my god!!” Octavia shrieks. “And you said Raven is evil!”

“Ooooh I want to know the answer to this.” Raven grins widely. She holds her thumb up for Lexa. “I approve.”

Anya rolls her eyes. “You are all aware the children are here too, right?”

Octavia thinks for a moment. “Okay honestly?” She struggles choosing. Raven would not be bad, but Raven is not her top choice. “Well uh…if I had to choose I would pick Lexa.” A blush creeps up her cheeks and she doesn’t dare to face Lexa right now.

Lexa gasps. Okay, that’s not the answer she expected.

Raven looks shocked. “I must say I’m a bit offended you didn’t pick me, O.”

Octavia looks at the children. “Aqua, truth or dare?”

“Truth.” Aqua replies with a smile.

Octavia glares at Lexa for a moment. “Which one of your mommies do you like the most?”

“That is evil to ask!!” Clarke complains.

Octavia winks. “Thank Lexa for that one.”

Aqua stares down at her feet. “I love both my mommies.” She pouts.

Clarke whispers something in Aqua’s ear.

“Lincoln.” Aqua says.

Lincoln looks at Aqua. “Dare.”

Octavia sees Clarke whispering in Aqua’s ear again. This game is really going to turn into a game of revenge.

“I dare you to pour water over her.” Aqua points at Octavia.

Lincoln chuckles lightly when he gets up to get a bucket with water. He whispers sorry before emptying the bucket above Octavia.

Octavia screams when the cold water splashes over her, soaking her completely. Oh that does it, now she definitely wants revenge. She whispers in her husband’s ear.

“Clarke, truth or dare?” Lincoln asks.

Clarke eyes Octavia suspiciously. “Truth.”

Octavia whispers something in Lincoln’s ear.

“If you had to make out with one of us, not Lexa, who would you choose?” Lincoln asks.

Clarke feels herself blushing. This is bad. “Uhm… Okay well um…” She awkwardly looks around. Lexa is going to kill her. “Anya.”

Lexa gasps. “You would make out with my sister!?”

“It’s hypothetical. It’s not going to happen.” Clarke defends herself. “I’m just saying that after you, Anya is…” She decides to stop talking and bites her lip.

Raven high fives Octavia. “This is gold.” She smirks. “Best answer ever.”

“This game is weird.” Anya groans.

“Okay, it’s my turn.” Clarke says. “Anya, truth or dare?”

“What the hell did I do?” Anya mutters.

Jake stands up. “Follow me kids, your parents need to be alone for a while.” He walks away with the children.

“Truth or dare?” Clarke repeats.

“Truth.”

“If you wouldn’t be married and someone asked you to make out with Octavia, would you?”

Anya looks at Octavia. “Yeah, maybe.”

Raven elbows Anya. “This is unbelievable.”

Octavia grins and holds a hand to her chest. “I’m flattered.”

“Lexa, truth or dare?” Anya asks. She wants revenge too now.

Lexa narrows her eyes. “Truth.”

“If you had to kiss with Raven, Octavia or Abby, who would you choose?”

Lexa groans. She should have picked dare. Her answer is going to give them the wrong impression. “Octavia.” It comes out as barely a whisper.

Raven pumps her fist in the air. “Aha!!” She shouts. “Octavia would choose to kiss you and you would choose to kiss her!! Ding, ding, we have a match!”

“I didn’t have much choice!” Lexa defends herself. “Abby is Clarke’s mother, she’s too old!! And Raven you’re just… not my type.”

Raven wiggles her eyebrows. “Octavia is your type huh?”

Octavia groans. “Guys this is getting uncomfortable.” Another blush creeps up her cheeks.

Raven sees the blush on Octavia’s cheeks. “You totally like Lexa!”

Octavia shakes her head. “Lincoln is my husband! I love him!”

Clarke looks at her wife. “You and Octavia…?”

Lexa holds her wife’s hand. “No, Clarke.” She sighs. “This is a silly game.”

Indra stands up. “I’m going to… check on the children.” She quickly hurries away.

Raven bursts out laughing.

Clarke crosses her arms. “We were supposed to play games with the children. Instead we are playing revenge with each other.”

“Come on, this was funny.” Raven wheezes.

“I am not amused either.” Lexa says, joining her wife.

Octavia hides her face in her hands. Okay so Lexa is hot, so what? She loves Lincoln and Lincoln is her husband. She wouldn’t change that. Would she have kissed Lexa if she never met Lincoln and if Lexa wasn’t with Clarke? Maybe, maybe not. She likes being Lexa’s right hand. She likes fighting on her side and being her best warrior.

Raven pokes Octavia. “You’d totally do Lexa.”

Octavia angrily pushes Raven away from her. “Lexa is hot, but I’m not gay!” She shouts.

Lincoln takes her hand and silently guides her away from the others.

Lexa rolls her eyes at Raven. “You crossed a line, Raven.”

“Yeah Lexa is right.” Clarke agrees. “I think you really upset O.”

Raven sighs. “Yeah I guess you’re right. I was only teasing.”

“This game turned out bad.” Anya says.

There’s an awkward silence later that day when they’re on the deck together. Their game really got out of hand. The children seem tense about their parent’s silence.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa and Clarke are happy to have a cabin for themselves. The deal they made with Raven and Anya is worth it.

They change into big oversized shirts and cuddle up in the bed together.

“Mhm this is cozy.” Clarke hums while weaving her fingers in her wife’s hair.

Lexa strokes her wife’s hair tenderly. “Yes, it is.”

Clarke slips her hands under her wife’s shirt, slowly sliding up higher. She can feel Lexa’s heart beating faster, as her hands slide up higher.

Lexa captures her wife’s lips for a passionate kiss. She hears Clarke moaning in their kiss.

There is a knock on their cabin door, disturbing their moment.

“Yes?” Lexa whispers loud enough.

The door opens, revealing Octavia.

“Um hey… I know you two want this cabin for the whole week, but Raven is being such a pain in the ass and I was wondering if I could sleep here tonight?”

Lexa shifts her eyes between her wife and Octavia. There goes their moment.

“Uh yeah, sure.” Clarke replies. “You can sleep here tonight.”

“Thanks.” Octavia mutters with a small smile.

Octavia slips into their cabin, wearing a big shirt and some shorts.

Lexa can tell that Octavia trains a lot, it shows on her body. Okay, no, she has to look away. It is strange to look at Octavia after everything the game revealed. It feels wrong. She peels her eyes away from the younger girl and looks at her wife. This is Raven’s fault, she thinks.

 

* * *

 

 

The sun is barely up when Lexa practically drags Octavia towards Raven.

Octavia had complained when Lexa dragged her out of the bed, not even letting her put both her socks on. She’s only wearing one sock when Lexa reaches Raven.

“Raven, it is your fault that Octavia slept in our cabin.” Lexa groans. “Fix it.”

Raven shrugs. “I’m pretty sure we’re all to blame.”

“My wife is right.” Anya chimes in. “We were all playing a twisted game of revenge.”

“We can fix this with a group hug.” Clarke suggests.

Raven holds her arms open. “Come here, babes.” She smirks at them.

Indra and Lincoln stare at each other in silence, while Lexa, Clarke, Anya, Raven and Octavia hug each other.

“It’s a good thing my dad walked away with the kids.” Clarke notes. “We were all being ridiculous.”

Lexa nods. Her wife is right. Their behavior was not right. She shouldn’t have gone with it. As their leader, she was setting a bad example.

Jake approaches them and smiles. “It’s good to see you all getting along again.”

Raven slings her arm around Octavia’s shoulder. “Of course, we always make up.”

Octavia playfully nudges Raven.

Together they go to the children’s cabin to wake them up and dress them.

 

* * *

 

 

The rest of their trip sailing around at sea is peacefully. They stopped turning their games into petty revenge, especially after Raven tried to dare Octavia into making out with Lexa, which was really not going to happen.

Raven had muttered something about polyamory, where people could be in a relationship with two people at once. Her explanation made them scrunch their noses up.

Lexa made it clear that something like that would absolutely not happen. What was Raven thinking anyway? She is married and Octavia is married too. Why would she want someone else when she has Clarke?

The drifters are relieved when they are finally approaching their island. It has been nearly three weeks. They missed their home.

Gustus and Jake help them with their bags.

“Don’t leave yet.” Clarke says. “Spend some time with us on our island.”

“Sounds good, kiddo.” Jake replies with a smile.

The drifters get off board of Gustus’ ship with their bags and suitcases.

Lexa’s feet barely touched the sand when she sees Aden running up to her. That gnawing feeling that something is wrong is plaguing her again.

“Lexa, we need to talk!” Aden shouts. “A war is brewing with an enemy we didn’t know about.”

Lexa turns around. “Father, Jake, get our bags and suitcases in our huts.” She commands. “When you are done, meet us around our campfire.”

“I need to talk to you in private.” Aden says.

Lexa nods. “Clarke, wait with the others around the campfire.”

Clarke nods. Her wife had been right about the bad feeling she had. A war is brewing? Really? Hadn’t they defeated all their enemies?

Lexa follows Aden into his hut. She sees that Ontari is waiting in Aden’s hut.

“Ontari knows.” Aden explains. “She knows about the war and she knows who I am.”

Lexa raises her eyebrow. “What do you mean she knows who you are? You are Aden, my brother.”

Aden sits down and taps the sand. “Please sit, I’ll explain everything.”

Lexa sits down next to Aden. She looks at Ontari who sits down too.

Aden tells Lexa everything about his old people, about the code and the language. He gives Lexa all the information Ontari had given him.

“So you are a prince?” Lexa asks.

“It appears that I was, and now I’m a king, but those people are no more.” Aden replies.

Lexa stands up. “Nobody will know. We will keep this a secret.” She brushes some sand off her clothes. “I will get Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia, Lincoln and Indra so we can talk about the war that is brewing, they do not know this yet.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa has gathered everyone around the campfire. She stands up and holds her hands up to silence them.

“To all the new children, welcome to our island.” Lexa says. “Aden will go around with a dagger and a bowl, so you can take the blood oath to be a drifter.” She announces and nods at Aden.

Aden takes his dagger and grabs a bowl.

Lexa continues while Aden makes sure the new children take the blood oath. “A war is brewing with enemies on Mountain Island.” Her voice is strong and rings through the air. “We will fight.”

“My father, Jake and Fox will stay on the island with the children.” Lexa commands. “The three of you will watch over the youngest children and the children that we don’t take with us.”

“I want to go with you, Lexa.” Gustus replies.

Gustus doesn’t want to see his children going off to war, definitely not if he can’t be with them. He already wasn’t there for the others enemies they have fought. The drifters managed those enemies, but the enemies on Mountain Island are a much bigger threat. During his years of sailing, he picked up rumors sometimes, but he didn’t take those rumors seriously. It sounded too crazy that there’s an island with advanced technology where they capture people, including children and experiment on them. Which kind of heartless bastard would do such a thing?

Now that it seems like it’s not a rumor, but reality, he’s worried. He has heard people talk about finding bodies in the water, near Mountain Island, including bodies of young children. He wishes his daughter would let him go fight. There will be some children fighting in that war, and it doesn’t feel right. Of course they need all the numbers they can get, but there is no way they can survive that war without casualties.

Lexa shakes her head. “No father, I want you to stay here with Jake and Fox.” She knows how tough this must be for her father, but she needs him to stay on their island. “Raven will make radios.” She looks at Raven and sees her nodding. “We will try to stay in touch. If you don’t hear from us or see us anymore after several days, I want you to take the children on your ship and leave.”

“If that happens…” Gustus really hopes it doesn’t come to that. “…Where do you want me to take the children?”

Lexa swallows thickly. She hates this, but if they fail to defeat Mountain Island, then their island will no longer be safe. If they fail, it would only be a matter of time before the people from Mountain Island reach their island and take the children.

“If that happens, I want you to take the children to civilization.” Lexa replies sternly. She can hear several shocked gasps. “If we fail, you will take them there and reach out to Abby and Kane.” She sighs deeply. “I know civilization does not sound like a place any of you would want to live, but if we fail, it will be the safest place for them.”

Gustus nods. He will do what his daughter wants. He will stay on the island with Jake and Fox to watch over the children that stay on the island.

Fox feels relieved that she can stay on the island. She had been shaking when she thought she would be called to go to war, because she is one of the oldest children. She’s sixteen. Her fighting skills are poor. If she would have been selected to fight, she would have been more of a burden than actually helpful.

Lexa takes a deep breath and holds her hands up. “When I call your name, you are chosen to fight in the war against Mountain Island.”

The drifters hold their breath. Some are ready to fight, while some others want to hide in the shadows.

“When I call your name, you will stand up and stand next to me.” Lexa says loudly.

“Octavia, my right hand.” Lexa calls out.

Octavia stands up fiercely and grabs her sword. She is ready for this.

“Clarke, my wife.” Lexa tries to keep her voice from shaking. She knows she has to take her wife with her.

Clarke stands up and walks over to her wife. Her posture is strong and confident.

“Anya, my sister.” Lexa calls out.

Anya grabs her dagger and stands up.

“Aden, my brother.” Lexa calls out.

Aden nods and stands up. He has been preparing for this. Mountain Island needs to be defeated.

“Raven, the one who has knowledge of technology.” Lexa calls out.

Lexa looks at Clarke, Octavia, Anya, Raven and Aden. She grew up with them. They have spent so many years together on the island. They have been through every battle.

“We are the original drifters!” Lexa shouts. “We have grown up on this island together. This is our home and we will fight to protect it!”

The drifters shout and chant.

Lexa holds her hands up to silence them. “When you hear your name, join us.”

“Roan, Ontari, Luna, Roan’s warriors.” Lexa calls out. “These are our allies.”

“Harper, Monroe, Jasper, Monty, Miller, Bellamy, Ellis.” Lexa calls out. She looks at Echo. “Echo, you will stay on the island, you are our healer. If wounded return, they will need you.”

Lexa goes on calling out a few more adults, but there aren’t many.

“Tris and Artigas.” Lexa calls out, getting to the point where she has to choose a few children.

Tris and Artigas proudly stand up. They have trained many years to become warriors. This is their chance. Tris is sixteen. Artigas is fifteen.

Kai stands up with his dagger, certain he will fight too because he is a warrior.

Lexa shakes her head. “Not you, Kai. You will stay here on the island.”

“I’m a warrior!” Kai shouts, puffing out his chest.

“You are a warrior, young one.” Lexa agrees. She kneels down to look at Kai. “This is not your time.”

Lexa knows Kai is a warrior, but he is only four years old. She is not going to send him off to war. She doesn’t have many warriors, and she is choosing a few children to go to war with them, but she can’t choose Kai. There is a limit and there is no way she will choose a four year old.

Lexa calls a few more names. She hopes her army will be big enough to defeat Mountain Island. It pains her that the youngest that are going to war with them are only twelve years old. Of course she knows that she was twelve when she speared a man in his chest, but that was a different time. Back then there were only two men and there were six drifters. Back then the enemy was outnumbered. She had thrown that spear to protect her family.

The enemies on Mountain Island are different. They have technology and different weapons. She doesn’t know what to think of their weapons. Jake had told her he thinks they might have guns. She doesn’t know what guns are. Jake had tried to explain it to her and it sounded bad. Jake told her if they use their guns, one is enough to kill them. That bothers her. She knows the drifters could get a few cuts and still go on, but if guns can kill them instantly, they would have a problem.

Lexa knows the drifters and their allies have to rely on their skills. She thinks they are probably faster than the people on Mountain Island, and the drifters and their allies have better reflexes. They will all have to aim properly. She’s thankful that Aden has been training everyone in her absence.

Lexa grasps her wife’s hand and lifts it in the air. “To war!!!” She shouts.

The drifters and their allies chant loudly.

Every one Lexa called forward is grabbing weapons and preparing. Lexa gives them all a short moment to hug anyone they would want to hug from the children who are staying behind.

Bellamy hugs Echo tightly and kisses her. He wipes her tears away and promises her he will try to come back.

Octavia and Lincoln hug their daughter who is far too young to understand what is going on. Octavia kisses Emily’s cheek one last time before handing her to Fox.

Anya and Raven hug Kai and ruffle his hair. “You will grow up and be strong.” Anya whispers in his ear. “We love you.” Raven whispers.

Clarke and Lexa kneel down to hug their children and to kiss their cheeks. They do not want their five children to become orphans again. Aqua and Blue are crying, which makes River cry too. Skye and Lily have a sheepish look on their face. Clarke and Lexa leave them with Gustus and Jake.

Lexa knows that if Clarke and she don’t make it, their children will be brought to Abby and Kane. Maybe there’s a chance she would keep them together and raise them.

Clarke knows this war is going to cost lives. If they fail, they will all die.

At least when they fail, they will know that the children who are staying behind will have a chance once Gustus and Jake take them to civilization. It wouldn’t be ideal, but it’s hope.

Clarke snakes her arms around her wife’s waist. “If I die in this life…” Her voice breaks.

“I promise I’ll find you in the next.” Lexa completes.

Clarke takes her wife’s hand. “Forever.”

Lexa nods and leads them all to war.

“Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're off to war...


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ****Warning: violence in this chapter****

The drifters and their allies arrive on Mountain Island. The moment they set foot on Mountain Island, they see that their enemies are already approaching them.

Without any hesitation, the drifters and their allies attack.

Lexa and Clarke fight as one with their swords.

Cage and his men use their weapons.

Clarke rubs her arm when something hits her. She looks at her arm, which is turning a bit red and looks slightly blistered. “I think it is poison.” She whispers to her wife.  “Or something like that.”

Lexa growls and charges forward with her sword, plunging it into the first enemy who approaches her. She swings her sword around wildly, hitting a second man.

Octavia grabs her daggers and stabs one of the men. She approaches another and slices his throat.

“Capture them all!!!” Cage shouts.

Lexa nods at the others as a silent sign to take Cage down. She assumes the one who just shouted must be Cage, without a doubt.

The drifters and their allies try to fight their way through all of Cage’s guard. For each guard they take down, two more seem to appear on the beach.

That bastard is calling for reinforcements.

Lexa silently curses when she’s being knocked down. One of those men is pressing her face into the sand.

Clarke runs over to her wife in an attempt to help her. Before she gets there, her face hits the sand. At this point she’s quite sure she has a cut in her lip from the fighting she has done.

Octavia fights two more men, trying to get to Clarke and Lexa. She receives a few punches. She slams her fist so hard in one of the men’s face that it makes her knuckles hurt. The punch she gets back makes her stumble and fall. She tries to get up, but someone is pressing his foot into her back, keeping her down.

Lincoln pulls his sword from the man he just killed and fights his way over to Octavia. A few men surround him and beat him. The men use their weapons. His arms and legs feel as if they’re on fire. He sees blisters forming on his skin. He falls down next to his wife.

Roan launches himself onto the men with his warriors. It’s no use they all hit the sand before they can even get close to Cage.

Anya flings her dagger, hoping to hit Cage. There are too many of his men around him, making her dagger hit one of Cage’s men. At least that’s one lesser to fight. She tries to keep her wife behind her. She can’t let Raven get hurt. They all need Raven to mess with the technology here on Mountain Island. Several men approach her. She hits and kicks them, trying to keep them away. There are too many and she falls down onto the sand. One of the men is pressing his foot against her cheek, pressing her face deeper into the sand.

Aden is using his sword to fight a few men.

Tris, Artigas and the other children surge forward when they see that the adults are getting defeated.

Tris aims her dagger and manages to hit Cage’s arm. She could have hit his chest if it wasn’t for a man blocking her aim. Despite that, she still hit him.

 

* * *

 

 

Ontari sees that almost everyone is down at this point. Aden and Raven are still standing. The children are fighting. She has to do something, they’re losing.

Ontari runs over to Raven and grabs her. She whispers something in Raven’s ear, before shouting loudly. “Your fight is over!”

The drifters watch in horror as Raven falls onto the sand, killed by Ontari, who was supposed to be their ally.

Anya cries out. “Noooooo!” Her heart is ripped out of her chest. Ontari killed her wife. “You bitch!”

Ontari surges towards Aden and holds a blade against Aden’s throat. “I have leverage!” She shouts to Cage.

“Ontari, you traitor!” Lexa shouts.

Lexa feels hurt. She thought Ontari was their ally. They have fought together before. Now Ontari betrayed them. She killed Raven and she grabbed Aden.

Roan is disappointed. He has seen the good heart Ontari had when she had saved Skye and Lily from that fire, and the burn marks that deed earned her. He didn’t expect her to do something like this. Why did she kill Raven? They all needed Raven, because she was the only one who can mess up the technology here on Mountain Island.

“That boy is no leverage, he is a boy.” Cage replies unimpressed.

Ontari shakes her head. “He is not just a boy. Remember that tribe you destroyed eight years ago? Remember the prince that drowned along with his parents?”

Cage’s eyes widen at the mention of the prince. “Impossible! There was a storm!”

Ontari pushes Aden forward. “This is the prince. He did not die, he’s alive!”

“That rat should not be alive!” Cage seethes. “His people killed half of my men eight years ago!”

Aden feels betrayed. Ontari warned him not to let anyone know. He only had been able to tell Lexa, because she’s the commander. Ontari told him he would be killed if Cage would know this. It turns out Ontari is a traitor. Maybe Ontari was going to use him as leverage all along.

“What do you want in exchange for the boy?” Cage asks, losing his patience.

Lexa has an idea what Ontari wants. Ontari is probably going to trade Aden for her own life, so she can be free, and she will probably ask for Luna to be free too. She is impressed that Aden’s old people managed to defeat half of Cage’s people. What would have happened if they would have had help?

Aden does not like being called a boy. He’s a man. He is nineteen.

“In exchange for the boy, you will let the children go.” Ontari replies.

Lexa is shocked. She didn’t think Ontari would offer a trade like that. She thought Ontari would trade Aden for Luna and herself, not that she’d trade it for the children. Okay maybe her treachery is based upon good intentions, but Ontari is still a traitor and she killed Raven! There is no excuse for Ontari killing Raven.

Cage waves it off. “That is not a fair trade. You are asking me to let several go, in exchange for one.”

Ontari presses her blade tighter against Aden’s throat. “I can slice his throat right here, right now!” She warns.

“If you do that you will have no leverage left.” Cage retorts.

“I will do it!” Ontari shouts. As to prove her point, she presses harder against her blade, drawing some blood.

“Wait!” Cage shouts. “I accept your deal. The children are free to go.”

Cage’s men release the children.

Tris and Artigas look frustrated. They don’t want to give up like this and go home. They want to fight until the end.

Octavia wants to complain when she is released too. She wants to tell them she’s not a child. She’s eighteen and she’s a warrior. Before she can say anything, she sees Ontari giving her a warning look, as if telling her to keep her mouth shut. She should have never allowed Ontari to give her pigtails instead of braids. When Ontari offered to do her hair, she wanted braids, but Ontari had given her pigtails instead. With those pigtails, she looks as if she’s merely sixteen or something. Thanks to that, Cage and his men seem to think she’s a child. This is an outrage.

Ontari is relieved to see that Octavia is keeping her mouth shut. Making a plan behind everyone’s back is not so fair, but this might work. Cage and his men have no idea that Octavia is the drifter’s finest warrior, aside from Lexa. Tris and Artigas are quite good too. She knows the three of them are not going to simply leave with the children, and that’s what she’s counting on. She knows Octavia is probably still angry about the pigtails, but surely Octavia will forgive her. She needed Octavia to look younger and more innocent. Pigtails were able to do that trick.

Ontari had made this plan, as a back-up plan. In case they would be failing to defeat Mountain Island, she could use this plan and now she did. Cage is underestimating them. Plus, everyone thinks she killed Raven. What they don’t know is that Raven is not dead. She merely made a move to render Raven unconscious for a while, and she whispered in Raven’s ear to stay down until the coast is clear. She had to make sure Raven would not actually be killed or captured. Raven will be able to mess with the technology on Mountain Island.

Okay, she probably should have told someone she had this back-up plan, but at least the emotions the drifters are showing is real now. She had to make sure Cage would believe that she is nothing but a traitor to the drifters and the only way to ensure that was by keeping this plan to herself.

 

* * *

 

 

The drifters and their allies end up in a weird building. They are placed in some sort of cells. Much to their disdain, they see that the building is based upon technology. The doors that keep them locked work on electricity. Without Raven, there is no way they can get out of this.

Lexa feels her rage grow inside of her. When they got locked up, Cage asked who their leader was. Before she could even open her mouth, Anya said she’s their leader. She thinks it really hit Anya hard to lose her wife and by telling Cage she is their leader, she probably felt like that was the only thing she had left to do.

Lexa knows Anya probably wanted to protect her, but she is their leader. She has to protect the drifters, not Anya. Now Anya is locked up in a cell, alone, while the others are locked up in groups. She knows Cage and his men are up to something, and whatever it is, it can’t be good. She can tell Anya will be their first victim, or Aden. She doesn’t know where they took Aden. What if Cage killed him already? Aden is innocent. He was only a boy when that war happened between his old people and Cage’s people. It’s not right that Cage wants Aden dead. Aden is not responsible for what happened back then.

Lexa sees a few men opening Anya’s door and taking her. She bangs on her door to protest.

Cage points at Lexa. “Take her too.”

The men open her door and point their weapons at everyone who is in that cell with Lexa. One of them grabs Lexa and pulls her outside.

Lexa looks at Anya and nods. She elbows the man who grabbed her and jumps another.

Anya balls her hands into fists and breaks the nose of one of the men. She connects her other fist to one of the men’s jaw, hearing a crack.

“Feisty ones.” Cage says amused. “I want them alive.”

Lexa and Anya continue to punch the men, even though there’s only two of them and about ten of those men.

“How are we supposed to take them alive when they’re fighting like this?” One of the men complains.

Cage gives his men a smug look. “You can fight them, just don’t kill them. Bruise them, break their bones, I don’t care.” He looks at Anya and Lexa. “We will use them for our project.”

Lexa doesn’t make a single sound when a fist hits her jaw. It hurts, but she will not give them any satisfaction. She beats the men as hard as she can, knowing that her knuckles will be bruised.

Clarke bites her lips and tries not to cry. She’s locked up in a cell with some others. She wants to help her wife so badly, but she can’t even reach her.

One of the men places his hand over Anya’s mouth, only to be rewarded with Anya biting his hand.

Cage grabs his radio and calls for back-up. “They’re just two girls!! Get them under control!” He shouts.

“You are cowards for fighting women.” Lincoln spits. “Why not fight me?”

“Yeah. Or me.” Roan adds.

 

* * *

 

 

Kai is on top of a tree, watching the scene beneath him unfold. Lexa had told him it was not his time to go to war, but he hadn’t listened. When nobody saw him, he snuck on board with them. When they arrived at Mountain Island, he snuck away again and climbed up a tree. He had seen the fight. He had seen how his Mami fell down and how his mommy was taken away with the others.

Now Kai is watching as a few of the enemies are putting the children in a rubber boat, along with his mami who is not moving. He thinks his mami is dead and that makes him sad. The bad men leave into a building. He sees two men coming outside with Aden. There is a rope around Aden. One of the men slaps Aden. That makes him angry. He is a warrior, he has to do something.

Kai shimmies down the tree with his dagger in his mouth. When he’s down, he tucks his dagger into his waistband, to hide it. He sneaks up to the two men who have Aden.

“Hey, is that kid one of us?” One man asks the other when he sees Kai.

The other man shakes his head. “Never saw this kid, I don’t think so.”

Kai looks up at the men with a sheepish look on his face.

“Maybe those other kids forgot him?” One of the men laughs. “They forgot the toddler.”

Aden’s eyes widen when he sees Kai. Why is Kai here? He has to do something. Kai is just a little kid.

One of the men grunts when Aden hardly knocks into him, making them both fall down.

Kai takes it as his cue to take on the other man. He grabs his dagger from his waistband and flings it at the man. When the man falls down, he retrieves his dagger with a smile. He sees Aden is rolling around with the other man, and helps him.

After a few stabs, the two men stop moving.

“You have to cut the ropes, Kai.” Aden whispers, nodding his head down to the ropes.

Kai nods and takes his dagger to cut the ropes.

“Thank you, Kai.” Aden ruffles his hair. “You shouldn’t be here, Lexa told you not to.” He knows that without Kai he would be dead now, but Kai really shouldn’t be here.

“I’m a warrior!” Kai replies proudly. “I fight.”

Aden sighs. “I have to try to free the others.” He looks at Kai. “Stay behind me.”

Aden kneels down and grabs something out of the pocket of one of the men. It is a strange plastic object. He had seen the man using it to get through the doors. The doors have this strange thing next to them with a red light. When the man held that plastic thing against it, the light turned green and the door opened. He figures that whatever that plastic thing is, it opens the door to get in. He takes the weapons the men had, even though he’s not sure how to use them.

Aden would ask Kai to hide, but it would be pointless. He knows Kai would try to sneak in anyway, so it is better to let Kai join him. He will do all he can to protect Kai. Anya would kill him if she’d know he’s taking Kai inside with him. What choice does he have really? Not to forget the fact that Kai just killed two men to save Aden. For once he wishes Kai would not be so fearless, because it could get Kai killed.

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia looks at the children in the rubber boat. Their enemies had been so brutal to put Raven’s body in the rubber boat too. They pestered them by saying they could enjoy their trip with the corpse, and how they wouldn’t make it back to their island because there would be a storm. When she asked them how they were so certain a storm would happen, one of them smugly replied that they have a device that creates storms.

Octavia is wondering about several things. Did these enemies cause the storm that got her shipwrecked with Lexa, Anya, Clarke and Raven? Did they cause the storm that made Aden lose his parents? It dawns to her that the answer to both those questions is most likely yes. Now she’s in a rubber boat with the children and Raven’s body, with the promise that they will drown and her hands are tied, just like the children’s hands are tied.

Raven slowly cracks her eyes open, taking a few seconds to look at her surroundings. She’s just waking up. Ontari’s words still linger in her thoughts. She sees Octavia and she sees they’re in a rubber boat. Okay, it is safe to wake up. She opens her eyes more and sits up.

Octavia gasps. “Oh my god!! Raven!!” She’s shocked. “I thought… we all thought…”

Raven shakes her head. “Ontari didn’t kill me. Before everything went dark, she whispered to me to stay down until everything would be clear.” She explains. “I think it was some sort of plan of her or something.” She looks around. “Why are you in this rubber boat with the kids? Why am I here?”

“After what Ontari did to you…” Octavia trails off. “She grabbed Aden and used him as leverage. She told Cage to let the children go in exchange for Aden.” She sighs deeply. “Cage took the deal and his men placed the children in this rubber boat.”

“Um but you’re…” Raven is confused.

“They thought I was a child too, probably because I look younger with these pigtails.” Octavia tries to point her fingers to her pigtails. “Which Ontari gave me before we left to go to Mountain Island.”

“I’m seeing a pattern here.” Raven replies. “Ontari made me go unconscious, so they didn’t capture me because they assumed I’d be dead. Ontari gave you pigtails, which made them think you would be a child. My guess is that Ontari had a plan to make sure we wouldn’t be captured.”

Raven unties Octavia’s hands and helps Octavia to untie the children’s hands.

It clicks in Octavia’s mind. “Because I’m Lexa’s best warrior and you can disable the technology on Mountain Island.”

Raven nods. “Yes, exactly that.”

“Okay listen up, you will all follow my lead. Agreed?” Octavia says with a strong voice. “I’m Lexa’s right hand.”

The drifters in the rubber boat nod.

“Okay, we are going to jump into the water and swim.” Octavia commands. “The water is going to be a bit cold and it is going to be exhausting to swim up there.” She points her finger at Mountain Island. “We have drifted quite a bit away from it, but we have to swim to get there.”

Octavia jumps into the water. Raven follows her and the children do the same.

Octavia knows this is a small army. It’s her, Raven, Artigas, Tris and about four other children.

They swim to Mountain Island. When they get there, they are soaked and tired. They hide in a few bushes and sneak their way up.

Octavia sees Aden and… Kai? What on earth is Kai doing here?

Raven gasps. “Oh my god, Kai!” She shouts and quickly puts one of her hands in front of her mouth. “Shit.” She mutters.

Aden turns around with Kai. Was that Raven he heard? Impossible, Raven is dead. He was just about to use that plastic thing to open the door to get inside when he heard it. He walks up to the bushes.

“Uh… hello?” Aden whispers softly. “I heard you.”

Octavia, Raven and the children make their way out of the bushes.

“Mami!” Kai shrieks. “Mami, you’re alive.” He wraps his arms around her legs.

Aden’s jaw drops. “Raven you… you’re…?”

“I’m not dead. We believe Ontari had a plan.” Raven replies. “Now what is Kai doing here?”

“Two men were going to kill me, I was tied with rope. Kai appeared out of nowhere and killed them.” Aden explains. “I think he followed us all when we came here.”

“This is unbelievable, Kai is four years old and… wait a minute… Kai killed two of Cage’s men?” Raven is shocked.

“I’m a warrior, mami.” Kai says proudly.

Aden shows the plastic object in his hand. “The men used this to open the door. I think this can get us inside.”

“Ah yes, I see.” Raven murmurs. “I need to get inside to find their control room. Once I’m there I can hack into their system and cut all their power.” She looks at Aden. “Oh and guess what, Octavia told me that they have a device they use to create storms.”

“So the storm…?”

Raven nods. “Yeah probably.”

Octavia holds her hands up. “Listen up, we will go inside. Tris and Artigas will follow me. The others will follow Raven to find that control room.” She orders.

Aden hands Octavia some of the weapons he took from the men. He uses the plastic object and the door opens, allowing them to go inside, not knowing what’s in there.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa and Anya are strapped onto weird tables. They’re battered and bruised after the fight they put up against some of Cage’s men. It wasn’t fair when they were trying to fight off fifteen men.

A girl walks in the room and approaches Lexa and Anya.

Lexa looks at the girl. “Stay away from us!” She snaps.

The girl holds her hands up. “I’m not your enemy.” She says with a soft voice.

Anya scoffs. Yeah right, not the enemy. “Who are you?” She asks.

“My name is Maya.” The girl replies. “I don’t like what Cage and his men do. I’ve seen you two putting up a fight. I’ve never seen anyone fight like that.”

Lexa looks at Maya. “Yes, and?”

Maya steps closer. “I… I will free you both. Don’t attack me, okay?” She whispers.

Lexa licks her lips. “If you free us, we won’t attack you.” She replies.

“Why are you going to free us?” Anya asks. “Not that I object, but I want to know why.”

“Some people here on Mountain Island are innocent, and there are children too.” Maya replies. “I don’t want them to be harmed.”

“If you free us, we will not harm you and the others who are innocent.” Lexa promises.

Maya frees Lexa and Anya from their straps. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” She whispers.

“What makes Cage your enemy?” Lexa asks. “He is your people, is he not?”

“Cage killed my parents because they were against him.”

Lexa waves her hands. “Lead the way.”

Maya leads Lexa and Anya into another room where a few strangers are strapped onto tables.

Lexa points at them. “Who are those people and why do they look so pale and sick?” She can see the strangers are young, some barely look sixteen.

“Cage captured them with his men. They have been experimenting on them.”

“What kind of experimenting has been happening?” Lexa asks.

Maya swallows thickly. “There are many prisoners they have been experimenting on. Cage and his men are trying to create a potion that would allow them not to age, so they could live forever.” She shivers. “That’s why Cage and his men don’t bat an eye to capture children as well. The younger and feistier they are, the better.”

“That’s awful!” Anya shouts.

“So far they managed to create potions that will extend their lives by some years. Cage is actually ninety years old.”

Lexa’s jaw drops and her eyes widen. “Free those people.” She commands, pointing at the pale strangers on the tables.

Maya frees the strangers. The strangers can barely stand.

“I never stood up against Cage, neither did anyone else who disagrees with him…” Maya whispers. “At least not after my parents tried. There are more people imprisoned here… there is a…” Her voice breaks.

Lexa places a hand on Maya’s shoulder to offer some comfort.

“There is a what?” Anya asks.

Maya stares at the floor. “There is a room with children that had been captured. They will die if they don’t get out of here.” She whispers with a pained look on her face. “They’re really, really young.”

“We have to get them out.” Lexa says with determination in her voice. “Along with everyone else who is innocent.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa and Anya are running in the hall when they knock into someone.

“Ow what the fu-” Octavia rubs her head. “Lexa? Anya?”

Lexa rubs her own head. “Octavia?” she looks at Octavia, Artigas and Tris. “How did you get in here?”

“I thought you were captured.” Octavia looks at Lexa and Anya. “How is it that you two are running around?”

“A girl from here freed us.” Lexa answers. “Now answer my question.”

“Cage’s men dropped us in a rubber boat. They said a storm would make us drown, because they have a device that creates the storms. We have been swimming to get back here.” She sighs. “Okay long story short. Kai is here too because he’s sneaky. Kai saved Aden. Aden took something from the two men Kai killed. Raven is not dead because Ontari must have had a secret plan and now we’re inside. Raven is with Kai, Aden and the other kids, looking for the control room so she can shut this place down.”

Anya has tears in her eyes. “Raven is alive?” She’s so happy to hear that her wife is not dead. “Wait… Kai is here? He killed two men?”

Octavia sighs. “Yes, yes and yes, but we have no time for this!”

“I agree with Octavia.” Lexa pitches in. “There is no time.”

Octavia sees a girl approaching behind Lexa and Anya with pale strangers who can barely walk. “Who the hell are they?” She points at them.

“The girl is Maya, who helped us.” Lexa replies. “Those pale strangers had been captured too.”

“Okay, we need our daggers and our swords.” Octavia whispers.

“Maya, do you know where we can get our weapons?” Lexa whispers with a husked voice.

“I can help you look, but we can’t stay here much longer. Cage’s guards will-”

Before Maya can finish her sentence, red lights are flashing and a loud alarm goes off.

Maya’s face pales. “They know you escaped.” She looks at Lexa and Anya.

Lexa holds her hands up. “Maya is going to lead the way for us to free the others. Knock down every guard you see.” She commands.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven runs into some guards with her group.

Aden snatches Kai’s dagger and attacks the guards.

Raven aims one of the weapons on a guard. A strange dart flies out of it and the guard drops down.

The children help to fight the guards.

When they managed to take the guards down, Raven continues to search for the control room. When she finds a room that has ‘control room’ on it with big letters, she thinks Cage and his men are truly stupid. Now that wasn’t so hard to find.

“I doubt this room will be empty.” Raven whispers. “Aden, when I open that door, you need to fling your dagger at the first person you see.”

Aden nods.

“No, mami.” Kai shakes his head and holds his hand out for the dagger. “Give it.”

“Kai, I will do this.” Aden whispers.

“I will fight.” Kai whispers.

Raven sighs deeply. “Aden, give Kai the dagger.”

Aden gives Kai the dagger.

Kai tucks his dagger away. “Open the door, mami.” He whispers.

Raven slowly opens the door. If anyone inside tries to touch one hair on her son’s head, she will end them all.

Kai slips inside, with a cute little smile on his face. He waves sheepishly at the people inside.

“Hey kid, what are you doing in here?” One man asks.

Kai looks around. He sees three men. He pouts and looks at the floor. “I lost my mommy.” His voice croaks a bit.

The man kneels down and scratches his head. “Uh I don’t remember you.” He slowly reaches for his weapon when a sharp pain spreads in his chest.

Kai grins devilishly at the man, who now has his dagger in his chest. He pulls his dagger out and flings it at another man.

In that moment, Raven swings the door open and kills the third man. She ushers Aden and the children to go inside.

Raven kneels down and holds her hand up for her son. “Well done, Kai.”

“Are you proud, mami?” Kai beams.

Raven nods. “Yeah, I’m proud.”

Raven stands up and makes her way to the control panel. “Ah, toys for me.” She grins. She cracks her knuckles. “Let’s do this.”

Aden watches the door with the children, in case someone would come in.

Raven sees cameras that allow her to see nearly every space of the building. She sees cells. Her people are in those cells, and their allies. There are also strangers. She sees Octavia running in the hall and bumping into… Oh my god, Lexa and Anya.

Raven presses a button that should unlock the cells. The second she touches the button, the cells unlock and a loud alarm goes off. She did not count on the latter.

“Shit.” Raven mutters. “Aden, make sure nobody gets through that door.”

Aden nods.

Raven taps more buttons. Once she hacks this system, she could blow this whole building up, probably even all of Mountain Island. She will need to set the timer so her people and allies can all escape before everything goes boom.

“We need to get our people and our allies outside!” Raven shouts. “I’m going to blow this whole island up.”

Aden’s eyes widen. Raven is going to do what now?

“Aden, I need you to go find the others and bring them outside.” Raven orders. “You know the way. I will stay here with the kids. Once the timer counts down, we will go outside and meet you there with the others.”

“Yes, Raven.” Aden replies. He opens the door and runs to go find the others, now that the cells are all open.

Aden has to find everyone fast and get them outside before Raven makes everything go boom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Raven has big plans to make Mountain Island explode.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ****Warning for violence in this chapter****

Aden passes a few guards and takes them out. Further down the hall, he reaches Octavia, Lexa, Anya, Artigas and Tris. He also sees a strange girl and pale strangers.

Lexa pulls Aden into a hug. “Aden, it’s good to see you.”

Lexa is relieved to see her brother alive. This place is dangerous and there are many guards roaming around. They can’t stick around too long.

Aden smiles weakly. “It’s good to see you too.” He looks at the strangers.

“That girl is Maya and she helped us.” Anya explains. “Those pale strangers were prisoners, like us.”

“We have to go to the others fast. Raven opened all the cells, so they’re out.” Aden’s voice is a bit raspy. “The alarm went off when Raven opened the cells. The guards will be here any second.” He takes a deep breath. “We must get everyone outside fast, because Raven is going to make everything go boom.”

Lexa’s eyes widen. “Okay, we have to move fast.” She turns to face Maya. “You will go get your innocent people and those children who are in another room.”

“You want me to get them… by myself?” Maya whispers, slightly shaking.

Lexa shakes her head. “Aden and Octavia, you two will go with Maya to help her.”

Aden and Octavia nod. They follow Maya to go get those children that are captured and to get the innocent people Maya spoke about.

Lexa stays behind with Anya, Tris, Artigas and the pale strangers. “We will go to the cells to find the others, now!”

Maya is shaken a bit when she show them the way to get to the cells. She really hopes this will all work out. She’s a traitor now, but she wants all the innocent people to get out.

They pass some guards along the way. Lexa, Anya, Tris and Artigas fight them to take them out.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke is shocked when her cell door opens out of nowhere, and even more shocked to see all the other cell doors have opened too. Though, the alarm worries her. It’s very loud and not promising at all.

The drifters and their allies hurry out of their cells.

Guards rush in and another fight ensues.

Clarke is mad at Ontari, but she doesn’t get the chance to reach her. She’s fighting against a guard and Ontari is fighting too.

Ontari sees Clarke looking at her. “I think Raven opened the cells for us!” She shouts.

“You killed Raven!” Clarke spats.

“Raven is not dead, I did not kill her!” Ontari snaps back. “It was a trick!”

“What do you mean!?” Clarke is confused. She saw Raven go down.

“I didn’t kill her! She was merely unconscious for a while!” Ontari shouts. “I needed Raven not to be captured so she could mess with their technology!”

Roan lets out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding, at hearing Ontari say that. So Ontari is good after all. A bit sneaky, but good. He was concerned when it looked like Ontari had killed Raven.

Clarke is momentarily distracted and one of the guards hits her. She will not be beaten down. She fights back fiercely, determined to get away so she can find her wife.

The drifters and their allies take the guards down, with help from some strangers who had been in cells too. The strangers don’t seem so good at fighting, but they’re helping anyway.

“Okay listen up everyone!” Clarke shouts. “We don’t know those strangers.” She points at the strangers. “But they are helping us and that’s good enough for me. We have to go find Lexa, Anya and Aden!”

The drifters and their allies make their way out of the room with the cells. The strangers follow them.

Clarke leads them and they end up in some hall. More guards are in the hall.

The guards charge forward towards Clarke and the others.

Clarke raises her fist, ready to put up a fight when the guards suddenly drop onto the floor. Behind the guards, she sees Lexa, Anya, Artigas and Tris.

Lexa runs to her wife. “Clarke!”

Clarke meets her wife halfway and falls into her arms. “Lexa, I’m so happy to see you!” She looks at her wife. “Oh my god, you have bruises everywhere!”

Lexa cups her wife’s cheeks. “Shh, it’s okay. I’m here, Clarke.”

“Raven opened your cells.” Anya says, not knowing Ontari already figured that one out for them. “We have to get outside fast. Raven is going to blow this whole island up!”

“We have to make sure Octavia and Aden make it out with the children they captured and with the innocent people.” Lexa announces. “We will find them first and help them.”

Clarke looks a bit confused at her wife.

“We don’t have enough time to explain.” Anya says. “We need to get all the innocent people out.”

Lexa looks at Tris and Artigas. “You two will get those pale strangers and those other strangers outside.” She points at all the strangers.

Tris and Artigas nod and wave their hands until the strangers follow them.

Roan commands a few of his warriors to follow them as well, for when they run into guards.

 

* * *

 

 

Maya leads Octavia and Aden into a room.

What Octavia and Aden see in that room looks like a nightmare. Very young children are strapped down onto weird tables. It’s impossible that any of them is older than twelve, at most. Some of them have needles attached to them.

Octavia shivers at the sight. The children look so pale, so sick, so weak. They look like they are dying. They are wearing a white thin piece of clothing, which reminds her of her time in the hospital back at civilization, when she was giving birth to Emily.

Maya carefully takes the needles and tubes out and shows Octavia and Aden how to open the straps. Tears sting her eyes. She never agreed with Cage doing all of this.

When the door opens, Octavia and Aden are prepared to fight. Luckily they see Lexa and the others.

“Oh thank god.” Octavia sighs deeply. “These children are not well.” She points at the children.

Lexa turns around to face her people and her allies. “Carry the children!” She commands.

Octavia takes one of the children in her arms. The child is light like a feather. It pains her to see this. This could be someone’s child. The same fate could be waiting for Emily if they don’t take this island down.

Lexa takes the child from Octavia and hands the child to Harper.

Octavia doesn’t understand why Lexa took the child from her.

“Let me clarify something.” Lexa calls out. “I need the best warriors to fight. The others will carry the children.”

Octavia understands now. It would be tough for her to fight if she’s carrying a child in her arms.

Lexa looks around. “Maya will show us where the innocents are.” She says. “Octavia, Anya, Lincoln, Indra, Roan and Ontari will stay with me to follow Maya. Everyone else will go outside.”

Clarke shakes her head. “Lexa, no, we are in this together. I’m not leaving without you.”

Lexa squeezes her wife’s hand. “Clarke, please.”

Clarke kisses her wife. “If something goes wrong in this life…” Her voice is shaking.

“I promise I’ll find you in the next, always.” Lexa replies. “Please, Clarke, go.”

“I love you, Lexa.”

“I love you too, Clarke.”

“Raven is in the control room with Kai and the other children we brought with us.” Aden says. “We need to get them out too.”

Lexa nods. “Aden and Anya, you two will go to Raven.” She looks at Aden. “You know the way, lead Anya there.”

Aden nods and grasps Anya’s wrist.

“Octavia, Lincoln, Indra, Roan and Ontari will follow Maya with me!” Lexa shouts. “Everyone else get out of here, now! We will meet you all outside.”

Lexa looks at Bellamy. “Get them outside, now. Board the ship and leave without us if you have to. That is an order.”

Bellamy nods and leads the others away.

 

* * *

 

 

Gustus, Jake, Fox and Echo are sitting around the campfire with the children. Watching the children is a lot easier said than done when there are only four of them compared to many more children they have to watch.

Gustus hopes the drifters and their allies will defeat the enemies on Mountain Island. He knows that if they don’t return eventually, he will have to take all the children to civilization, like Lexa asked him to. He hopes it doesn’t come to that. If it does, he will make sure the children are sent away and he will go to Mountain Island.

Echo had wanted to fight, but of course Lexa ordered her to stay on the island because she’s their healer. She understands that the drifters can’t lose her, but she hates that she couldn’t go with the others to fight.

Jake is looking at his grandchildren. He doesn’t see Aqua.

Fox approaches Gustus and Jake. “Um I… I can’t find Kai, the little sneaky one.” She whispers.

“I don’t see Aqua either.” Jake whispers.

Gustus stands up. “Jake, you can search the island with me to look for Aqua and Kai.” He says. “Echo and Fox can stay here at the campfire to watch the children.”

Jake and Gustus look around on the island. They check every hut and they check the river.

Fox slightly panics when Gustus and Jake return to the campfire and say they can’t find Aqua and Kai. What if something bad happened? When Lexa returns, she will be so mad. She’s supposed to be a caretaker for the children. Losing two children makes her a bad caretaker. She can’t fight, she has no skills and now she’s bad at this too.

Jake kneels down next to Blue. “Hello, Blue.” He ruffles Blue’s hair. “Do you know where Aqua and Kai are?” He asks.

Blue points at the sea. “Bye, bye with the ship.” He answers with a bright smile on his face.

Skye holds a shell in her tiny hands. “Bu.” She shows her shell to her brother.

Lily stands next to Skye with a bigger shell in her hands, to show her brother.

Jake thinks the twins are very cute. It is adorable how they babble sometimes, mostly what they’re saying is incoherent. They can’t pronounce Blue’s name, so they call him Bu. Sometimes he hears Lily calling him Lu. He is happy to have five grandchildren. Never would he have guessed to be a grandfather to so many children. He hopes Aqua will be okay. Hopefully the drifters will notice and protect her before the enemy finds her.

Gustus looks down at the sand. “This is not good.” He mutters.

“I have a feeling our daughters are not going to be happy about that.” Jake whispers.

Jake can already imagine Clarke having a fit because Aqua snuck away, when they were supposed to watch Aqua. Lexa won’t be pleased about that either. They left to go fight a dangerous war.

Gustus hopes that Kai and Aqua will be okay. Anya and Lexa will not be happy. He should have watched the children better, especially Kai who always sneaks away. He knows that Kai is a warrior, but he’s only four years old. Aqua is only three years old and she can’t fight.

Jake and Gustus both know that if the drifters and their allies survive and return with Kai and Aqua, their daughters will most likely kill them. Kai is always sneaky. They would literally have to tie him to a tree if they would want to ensure he doesn’t sneak away.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven is toying with the control panel in the control room. For her this is like child’s play. It doesn’t take her long to figure it out. She manages to unlock all the doors, to make sure her people will be able to get out without needing that plastic card. She cheers when she sees them finding each other. Her heart breaks when she sees Bellamy with most of them, holding small children.

Someone is knocking on the door. “Open up!” A strange voice shouts.

“Kai, get under this desk.” Raven whispers. She grabs his arm and pushes him under the desk. She looks at the other children. “You four as well.”

Raven stands up and prepares herself to fight. She takes Kai’s dagger and hides behind the door.

The door gets kicked open and a guard walks inside.

Raven stabs his neck. She quickly retrieves her dagger to attack the second guard that walks in. Two more guards walk in. She’s fighting them when she sees Kai appearing. Dammit, she told him to hide. Directly after that, the other children show themselves too.

Kai jumps on one of the guard’s legs and bites him.

The other children help Kai and attack the guard.

Raven is fighting and she really hopes Kai won’t die. Can’t her son have fear just this once? Darkness, enemies, weapons… No, nothing seems to scare Kai. Her son always seems fearless and she’s terrified it will get him killed.

A guard grabs Kai by his ankle and holds him upside down. “Shouldn’t you be sucking your thumb rather than trying to play the hero?” The guard scoffs.

“Cage will like that one.” Another guard comments. “He’s feisty and very young. He will be perfect for the experiment.”

“Get your filthy hands off of my son!!” Anya shouts from behind the guard. She wraps her hands around his neck.

Aden snatches Kai from the guard, while Anya is choking said guard with her bare hands.

Anya attacks another guard who is fighting her wife. She breaks his nose. Then she grabs his neck and smashes his face repeatedly against the door, until he doesn’t move anymore.  

“Nobody lays a hand on my family!!” Anya seethes. She looks at the other approaching guards. “Dare touch my family and I’ll make you eat your shoes!!”

Raven knows her wife is serious. Nothing angers Anya more than someone hurting her family. When it comes down to their son, Anya is like a lion who would devour anyone who dares to lay a hand on him.

One of the guards laughs loudly at her statement. His laughing stops when Anya jumps him, pulls off his shoes and slams one in his mouth, eager to push it down his throat. There are muffled screams from the guard when his teeth break from the impact.

“You are all savages!” A guard shouts.

“You dare call us savages?” Anya scoffs. “It’s your people who don’t bat an eye to murder innocent people!! You experiment on little children, if anyone is a savage, it’s your people!”

Aden helps Anya to fight the rest of the guards. If any of the guards by any chance survives the beating, they will have one hell of a headache. Not that it will matter once Raven blows the whole place up.  

Raven wraps her arms tightly around her wife. “You’re here.” She smiles at Anya. “You’re so hot when you’re fighting.”

“I’m so happy you’re alive.” Anya whispers. “I thought I lost you.”

“You all have to get out of here. I’m going to set the timer so I can blow this whole island up. Take the children and leave. I’ll be outside after I’ve done this.”

Anya shakes her head. “Aden can go with the children, but I’m staying here with you.”

“Anya, please go outside with the others. I will be there.”

Anya looks deeply into her wife’s deep brown eyes. “We are in this together. You are my wife. I will stay with you until the end.”

Raven nods and blinks a few tears away.

Aden takes Kai in his arms and leaves with the children, to go outside to meet the others.

Raven looks over at the control panel with her wife.

“A few of our people are still inside.” Anya whispers. “Lexa, Clarke, Octavia, Lincoln, Indra, Roan and Ontari are still inside to get a few innocent people out.

Raven nods. “Are any of our people dead?”

“Not that I know of, but some are wounded badly.”

Raven looks at her wife. “Oh my god, Anya! God, I’m so blind. You’re bruised!”

“Raven, I’m fine.”

“You might have broken something.” Raven’s voice breaks.

Anya kisses her wife. “I’m okay, Raven.”

Raven taps more buttons on the control panel and types a few things. “I bypassed their firewall and hacked their system. I can set the timer for five minutes.”

Anya shrugs. “I don’t understand half of what you’re saying, but five minutes means we’ll have to run, right?” She looks at the control panel. It’s all foreign in her eyes.

“Yes, five minutes means we would have to run to get out of here fast. Once we’re outside we have to get our people off this island fast, before everything goes boom.” Raven takes a deep breath. “I can’t set the timer further than five minutes. That’s all we’ll have to get out.”

Anya nods and ignores the pain she feels. Something might be wrong with her ankle.

Raven types a few things. “I messed up their device that could cause storms, even though that won’t matter anymore once this whole island gets blown up.” She sets the timer ready. “If I press that button there, the timer will count down.” She points at a big red button.

“These people aren’t very bright are they?” Anya snickers. “I saw the words ‘control room’ in big letters on the door and now the button to destroy their island is big and red.”

Raven gives her wife her signature smirk. “I know right?”

“There are still a few of our people inside.” Anya notes.

Raven points at a screen. “Once I see them here, they will almost be outside and then I’ll press that big red button. After that, we run.”

“How many guards can you see?” Anya asks.

“I think most of them are down, but Cage is still around somewhere with some guards.” Raven eyes widen when she looks at the screen. “Oh my god, that’s Cage and he’s… oh my god.”

Anya follows her wife’s gaze to the screen. “Oh my god that’s… he’s holding… no, no, no, why.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa follows Maya with Octavia, Lincoln, Indra, Roan and Ontari.

Maya leads them to some of her people, including children. “We are leaving.” She whispers to them.

A few guards approach them, which are quickly killed by the drifters.

Lexa looks around. “Where is Cage?”

Cage appears as if on cue, with a few guards and a child in his arms. “Look who I found on my island.”

Lexa gasps when she sees that Cage is holding Aqua. Maybe Aqua followed Kai when Kai snuck away to follow them. The guards must have found her and snatched her.

Aqua is crying and one of her cheeks is slightly purple. She had been hiding on the ship while the others were fighting. After a while she left the ship to look for her mommies on the island and to look for Kai. She didn’t make it far when angry men grabbed her. The one who’s holding her had hit her cheek hard.

Cage has a smug look on his face. “I take it you know this child.” He looks at Octavia. “Looks like the child found her way back here.”

Octavia clenches her fists and looks at Lexa.

“You will die.” Lexa spats.

Lexa is infuriated. That monster has hurt her daughter. Cage will pay for this. She will let him know what pain is.

Cage shakes his head. “I doubt that.” He looks at Lexa. “I’ll make you a deal. That kid there…” He points at Octavia. “Can leave with this kid, if you all surrender.”

Lexa nods towards Octavia and holds her hands up. She didn’t say yes.

Lincoln, Indra, Roan and Ontari hold their hands up too.

Octavia stretches her arms out for Aqua.

Cage pushes Aqua in Octavia’s arms. His guards aim their weapons at Lexa, Lincoln, Indra, Roan and Ontari.

Octavia steps behind the corner and puts Aqua down. She holds a finger to her mouth, letting Aqua know she has to be silent. She’s not a kid, she’s a warrior. It’s time Cage and his men learn that.

Cage looks frustrated when Octavia returns.

Octavia jumps two guards and bangs their heads together. “I’m not a child!” She sneers, banging their heads together over and over again. When they drop down, she roars. “I’m a warrior!”

“Drifters, attack!” Lexa commands.

Lexa elbows a guard and the others follow her lead. She ignores the fact that she’s battered and bruised, now that they’re so close to winning and getting out.

Octavia fights side by side with Lexa. Together they manage to take ten guards down, with their bare hands.

Cage connects his fist with Lexa’s jaw.

Lexa’s eyes are filled with rage. Her anger takes over. She grabs Cage’s face and pushes her thumbs into his eyes, seeing his eyes bleed and hearing him scream. She breaks his fingers one by one.

“Maya, gather your people and show us the way out!” Lexa commands. “Only innocents.”

Maya gathers a few of her people. Some are quite old and some are children.

The children seem scared of the drifters, because to them the drifters are strangers and the drifters are fighting quite wildly.

Lexa breaks Cage’s kneecaps. She slams him against a window until she hears his skull crack. She grabs a piece of glass and stabs it in his throat. She leaves him to choke on his blood.

Octavia grabs Aqua from behind the corner and kneels down in front of the children Maya has gathered, along with other innocent strangers of Maya’s people.

“We have kids on our island.” Octavia whispers. “This is Aqua.” She points at Aqua.

Aqua waves at the children and smiles at them. Octavia hopes it will help to make them a bit less scared.

Lexa takes Aqua into her arms and gently kisses her cheek.

Maya guides them outside where Bellamy and the others are waiting.

Lexa looks around. Only Anya and Raven are still inside. “Board the ship, right now!!” She commands.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven looks at her wife. “They all made it out.”

Anya nods. “That’s good.”

“You know… It’s kind of strange, if Ontari didn’t have that secret plan, I wouldn’t have been able to do this.”

“I didn’t expect this, but yes, you’re right. If she hadn’t done what she did, you would have been captured and not have been able to open all the doors.”

Raven nods. “We were all lucky Kai was here too, actually. He helped Aden and that way we got a card to get inside.”

“Okay, so now we run?”

Raven takes a deep breath. “Are you sure you will be able to run fast enough?” She eyes her wife who looks quite wounded.

“I’ll be fine.” Anya replies. She takes her wife’s hands. “Promise me you’ll run as fast as you can to get out of here.”

“Anya…”

“Promise me.”

Raven closes her eyes for a moment. “Okay, I promise.” She pushes the big red button.

“We have to run fast!” Raven shouts. “There are still enemies in this building.”

Anya grabs her wife’s hand. Together they run as fast as their legs allow them to. They pass a few enemies, which they quickly knock down. They’re so close now.

Anya’s ankle is screaming at her. She’s a few steps behind Raven when she falls down.

Raven turns around and kneels down next to her wife to help her up.

“Raven, you promised me you would run as fast as you can.” Anya whispers. She tries to push her wife away. “Please, run.”

Raven shakes her head. “I did promise, but I’m not leaving without you.” She pulls her wife up and lets Anya lean over her shoulder. “I will run as fast as I can, with you, together.”

Anya grits her teeth and runs, despite the pain.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa runs towards the others outside, the moment Maya guided them out.

They have to board their ship, right now.

“There are too many people to board the ship!” Bellamy shouts when he sees Lexa. “All those strangers that we are going to take with us… we didn’t prepare for that.”

Lexa stomps her foot. “Put them on your shoulders for all I care, but we are taking them with us!” She commands. “Those strangers are innocent and they will be leaving with us!”

Lexa is not going to take no for an answer. They will take the strangers with them. Those pale children need help, they’re innocent children. Those other pale strangers are innocent and need help too. Maya helped them. She’s not leaving Maya behind. Then there’s the innocent people Maya is taking along, which includes children. They all need to board the ship.

“But Lexa…” Bellamy complains.

“Get them on board now!” Lexa commands. “That is an order.”

Lexa knows that the ship will be really packed with all those extra people. There are about ten of those pale children, a few pale strangers and about twenty other strangers that were either captured or used to be Cage’s people.

The drifters and their allies help the strangers to board their ship. Some of them have to carry the pale children and the pale strangers who are too weak to stand.

Clarke is shocked to see Aqua, and receives a knowing look from her wife. She grabs some blankets that are on board of the ship, so they can be wrapped around the pale children. She’s worried that they might be cold. Their skin is cold to touch, so it is possible.

Raven and Anya run out of the building and sprint towards them.

“We have to leave, now!” Raven is heaving and trying to breathe. “The whole island is going to explode.”

Anya is panting next to Raven. “We’re running out of time.”

Lexa nods and flicks her wrist, signaling them all to move faster.

Lexa sees her sister is hurt. “Roan, Lincoln, help them on board, now!” She shouts.

Roan and Lincoln quickly help Raven and Anya to get on board.

Lexa looks around, scanning to see if all the drifters, allies and strangers they are taking are on board. The ship is packed, but at least everyone is getting away. She will take her people home. She’s grateful for the allies she has. Roan and his warriors did well. Ontari helped a lot too.

Now that there are so many people on board of their ship, most of them have to stand because there’s not enough space for all of them to sit. It will take them a few hours to return home. They’re all tired. Aside from Maya’s people, they’re all wounded.

Ontari feels Lexa’s gaze on her.

Lexa grasps Ontari’s arm. Her eyes soften. “Thank you, Ontari. Your plan helped Raven.”

Ontari smiles weakly. “I’m an ally of the drifters. Of course I was going to help. Mountain Island needed to be gone, and now it will be done.”

Lexa shakes her head. “You’re not our ally.”

Ontari tilts her head. “Lexa, I’m your ally, really, I am.” She’s confused.

Lexa shakes her head again. “You’re a friend to us now.” Ontari has earned her trust.

A smile cracks open on Ontari’s face. “Friends.” She nods. “I like that.”

Maya feels relieved that she got out with the innocents. She had wanted to get out for so many years now. When she saw Lexa and her people, and their strength, she knew this was her chance. She’s glad she took it.

Roan holds Anya in his arms, so she won’t have to put pressure on her ankle.

Clarke bites back tears when she sees the purple mark on Aqua’s cheek.

Indra gets everything ready for them to sail out, with Lincoln’s help.

The ship is barely a few clicks away from Mountain Island when the whole island explodes.

Raven grins proudly and nods towards the island.

“Boom baby.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mountain Island is gone, Cage has been defeated. :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is six after five... :)

“Ship!” Blue shrieks. He points his finger at sea. “Mommy and mama are back!”

Gustus and Jake turn around to look. When they see the ship approaching, they run towards the water.

“Fox and Echo, stay at the campfire with the children!” Gustus shouts.

Gustus wants to make sure that it is their people who are returning, and that it wouldn’t be the enemy.

Lexa and Clarke hold each other’s hand while they’re nearing their island.

Clarke is trying to balance Aqua on her hip. Her body hurts.

Lexa is relieved that they’re arriving home. Everyone needs to rest and most of them also need to heal. It is dark now.

Jake gasps when he sees how packed the ship is. He runs into the water to help everyone get off board.

Gustus joins Jake in the water to help.

“Fox and Echo, come help us.” Gustus shouts.

Fox and Echo run towards the water.

Everyone gets onto the sand on their island.

“We do not have enough huts due to all the new people we brought with us.” Lexa says. “Fox and Jake, go get as many blankets and pillows as you can. Place them close to our campfire.” She orders.

Lexa looks at Echo. “You are our healer, take a look at the wounded ones.” She commands. “You will look after me last.”

“I can help Echo.” Maya offers.

Lexa nods.

The drifters and their allies bring the pale children and the pale strangers to the campfire. They put them down on the blankets and the pillows Fox is gathering there.

“They will sleep around our campfire tonight.” Lexa announces. “We need to keep them warm.”

“We should give them warmer clothes.” Clarke whispers. She sees the pale children and adults are only wearing a thin piece of clothing.

“We have some sweaters.” Lexa replies.

Clarke goes inside a few huts to grab some sweaters.

A few drifters help Clarke to put the sweaters on the pale strangers.

“I’ll make them some soup.” Echo says. “They need to eat something to gather some strength.”

The drifters and their allies sit down on the tree logs.

Lexa gestures for Maya and the other strangers to sit down. She could be mad at her father and at Jake for not noticing that Kai and Aqua followed them, but truly she’s mad at herself. They are her people. She has to protect them. She should have made sure they wouldn’t have followed.

When everyone is sitting down and some are lying down, Lexa stands up.

Lexa holds her hands up to speak.

“To all of you who don’t know who I am, my name is Lexa. I am the commander.” Lexa’s voice is strong and powerful. She stands tall, despite all the bruises she has and the pain that’s coursing through her body. “This is my island and the people on this island are my people. We call ourselves drifters.”

Clarke stands up to join her wife.

Lexa takes her wife’s hand. “This is Clarke, my wife, who you will all respect as my equal.”

“Mountain Island has been defeated.” Lexa shouts. She gestures for Raven to stand up. “Thanks to Raven, Mountain Island is no more.”

Raven grins widely and dips her head.

The drifters and their allies cheer and chant.

Lexa waves Ontari over. “Ontari’s plan worked.” She places a hand on Ontari’s shoulder. “Ontari is a friend of us drifters now.”

Lexa looks around at all the new people. “To everyone who is new, you will be given a choice.” Her voice rings through the air. “You can choose to become a drifter, which will require you to take our blood oath. Us drifters, we are a family, we protect each other. If you choose to become a drifter, you will do the same. The second option you can choose is to leave. If you choose to leave, you are allowed to recover first until you have enough strength. If you choose to leave, I will make sure someone can drop you off somewhere.”

“This island can be your home.” Clarke chimes in. "Most of you have seen us fight. We want everyone who is new to know that we are not savages, and we are not the enemy."

Lexa grabs her dagger and a bowl. “When I approach you, you may choose. If you choose to become a drifter, I have to make a small cut in the palm of your hand. Then you will squeeze your hand above the bowl I’m holding, which afterwards I will burn symbolically.”

The children Maya brought from her people flinch when Lexa approaches them.

Lexa kneels down in front of the children. “I will not harm you. If you want to stay here, you can give me your finger.”

It takes Lexa a while to calm the children and to convince them. Once they’ve calmed down, she dips their finger in the bowl.

Maya holds her hand out for Lexa. She bites her lip when the cut is made.

When Lexa is done, she empties the bowl above the campfire. Everyone took her offer to stay, probably because they have nowhere else to go.

Some strangers grasp Lexa's wrist and thank her for saving them and offering them a home. 

“Tomorrow we will build more huts.” Lexa announces. “Let us all rest for now.”

Clarke grabs the medical kit her mother had given her when they left civilization. There are some salves in it that should be helpful to heal wounds.

Lexa grits her teeth when her wife applies a salve onto all her bruises.

Clarke gently cups Aqua’s cheeks to apply some salve on the purple mark.

“Don’t cry, mommy.” Aqua whispers.

Clarke feels Aqua’s tiny hand wiping her tears away. She can’t help it. It hurts her to know that Aqua got hurt.

Raven takes some salve from the medical kit for Anya. She cuts off a piece of her shirt and wraps it around her wife’s ankle with a thick paste from some herbal plants, which Echo made.

Maya and the people she brought help Echo to give soup to all the pale people. They have to hold their heads up and slowly raise their cups to let them eat.

A few of the people Maya brought have a small bag with some things in it. Some clothes, some food, some medicine and other little things.

 

* * *

 

 

Everyone sleeps outside on the beach. For once, Lexa lets them. They all need comfort and they’re all exhausted. It’s fine that they want to stay together. They all brought their blankets and pillows outside.

Gustus gave them extra pillows and blankets from his ship.

Lexa has the twins in her arms, huddled up together under a blanket. It’s a good thing that the night doesn’t feel cold. She keeps a close eye on the pale people, especially the young children. It concerns her that some of them are still shivering, despite wearing a sweater and being wrapped up in blankets.

Clarke is close to her wife, with Aqua and River in her arms. Blue is sleeping next to River. It’s not easy for her to be able to sleep. It has been a rough day. She’s keeping an eye on the pale children. She hopes those children will make it through the night. It’s a relief that Mountain Island is gone now. What they did was awful. Those children are so young. Some of them don’t look older than her own children. If they hadn’t defeated them, Aqua would have ended up like those children. No, she can’t think that way. They made it. They’re safe.

One very small pale child is shivering more as the night passes on.

Clarke makes her way to the child and wraps the child in her arms. The little girl in her arms can’t be older than two. The child’s eyes are green. She’s worried because the light in those green eyes is fading. She spends the rest of the night holding the child and singing.

The child barely makes it through the night. Clarke names the child Hope and pleads to her wife if they can adopt her.

Lexa stares deeply into her wife’s blue eyes. “Clarke… we already have five children…”

Clarke holds Hope closer in her arms. “Please, Lexa.” She pleads. “She barely made it through the night. We will be good parents for her.”

Lexa sighs and smiles a little. “We have five children, Clarke.” She should have guessed her wife would ask to adopt more.

“I know, Lexa, I know.” Clarke whispers. She looks at the child in her arms. “Look, Lexa, she has your eyes.” She tries in an attempt to bribe her wife.

Lexa looks at the child, who has green eyes. There’s a small sparkle in the child’s eyes.

“Please, Lexa.”

“You named her Hope?” Lexa asks.

“Yes, because she barely made it through the night and she carries hope with her, so yes, her name is Hope.”

Lexa sees the way her wife looks at the child. It is the same way Clarke looks at their five children.

“A sister for me?” Aqua asks with a smile on her face.

Lexa kneels down next to Aqua. She shifts her eyes between her daughter and her wife. How can she ever say no?

“Yes, this is Hope.”

Clarke smiles at her wife and tears run down her cheeks.

Lexa calls out for Blue, River, Skye and Lily, so they can meet their new sister, Hope.

If someone would have told Lexa ten years ago that she would end up on this island, as a leader and get married, defeat several enemies and end up with six children, she would have laughed at them. There is no way she would have guessed any of this would ever happen, but it did. Now she’s home, on her island, with her wife and their six children. Wait until Clarke’s mother visits. She wonders how she will take that news. Maybe after five children, a sixth isn’t such a big shock anymore.

Clarke feels happy. She is home, with her wife and their six children. Their six perfect little angels. She has a soft spot for the children, and she knows Lexa has a soft spot for her. She’s not sure how her mother will react. Surely she won’t freak out too much?

Lexa gathers all the drifters and lets them know that anyone who wants to adopt a child is allowed to do so. The new drifters didn’t have that knowledge yet.

 

* * *

 

 

Nearly a year later, everyone has recovered. The people who were once pale all have color in their cheeks again.

Their island is flourishing and the drifters look happy. The new drifters have been adapting.

Roan and his people often visit. So much even that it is as if they live there too.

The drifters and their allies have built more huts, to make enough space for everyone. There are even a few spare huts, just in case.

Tris and Artigas are officially acknowledged as warriors, which is what they had always wanted to be. There may not be any enemies to fight, but regardless they are grateful for the title.

Lexa notices her island has gotten more crowded. Since Mountain Island is no more, she has accepted quite a few people onto her island.

The drifters and their allies respect Lexa. They respect her for being such a strong leader.

Lexa is twenty-one now, like her wife, Clarke. This island will always be their home. She has had the honor to lead the drifters for nine years now. When she gets older, she plans to point someone else as their leader, but now is not the time yet. Perhaps in twenty years from now or something like that, she will allow her most promising young warriors to battle and the one who wins the battle may become the new leader. She has a feeling it could be Kai.

Kai is five now. He is proud to be the youngest warrior of the drifters. He has been training with the older children. His skills grow each day.

Bellamy and Echo are married. They are happy together. Octavia is happy to see that her older brother has become a true drifter. Their sibling connection has been restored a bit.

Aden married Ellis, which was a big celebration. The drifters had danced all night long until the sun rose.

Maya has gotten close with Jasper. They both seem happy.

Raven has been working on a special radio that would allow her to contact Abby, for example.

Clarke is expecting her mom for a visit. Her dad let her know that her mom had invited her again, when her dad had sailed out to civilization for a few weeks, but she had made her dad return to tell her mom that she should visit them this time.

 

* * *

 

 

Abby arrives on the island with Kane, thanks to Gustus and Jake who sailed out to bring them here. She has brought a bunch of gifts for her daughter and for her grandchildren. She took two months off from the hospital, so she can spend a few weeks here on the island.

“Mom, you’re here.” Clarke waves at her mother and smiles. “Kane, good to see you too.”

Abby and Kane hug Clarke.

“We brought gifts.” Abby says.

Lexa approaches Abby and Kane with the children. She kneels down next to her children. “Go say hi to your grandmother and to Kane.” She whispers.

Abby smiles when the children hug her legs. She looks at them and counts six children.

Clarke notices the look on her mother’s face. She kneels down next to Hope. “Mom, this is Hope.”

Lexa stares at Abby. “We have six children now.” She says proudly with a hint of amusement.

Abby’s eyes widen. “Si…Six… six… six children?” Her jaw drops.

Raven laughs. “Some things never change.” She winks at Clarke and Lexa.

Clarke waves her hand. “Five, six, does it really make a difference?”

Raven nudges Anya and Octavia. “I bet you ten berries that five, six will turn into seven, eight.”

Octavia shakes Raven’s hand. “You’re on.”

Anya nods. “I bet you five coconuts it will happen within a year.”

Octavia grins. “I’ll take that bet.”

“Prepare to climb.” Anya winks at Octavia.

“Hey!” Clarke groans. “Don’t bet on me like that.”

“We missed our change for a bet with her sixth child.” Octavia sighs. “I totally could have guessed that.”

Lexa rolls her eyes. “It is Clarke’s fault.”

Clarke holds her hand to her chest. “I can feel the love, it’s amazing.”

“Their bet won’t work.” Lexa says. “Six children are more than enough.”

Raven holds her hands out to Octavia and Anya. “Okay final bet. I bet you both twenty coconuts and ten bananas that Clarke will convince Lexa to have more than six children.”

“Enough!” Lexa shouts. She looks at Abby and Kane. “Welcome to our island.”

“Thank you.” Abby smiles politely. “We brought some gifts.”

Kane puts the bags and suitcases down with the gifts.

“We brought something for everyone, actually.” Kane says.

Abby takes a red leather bomber jacket out of a suitcase and hands it to Raven. “I think this one will suit you, and I thought you might like it.”

Raven accepts the jacket and puts it on. “Awesome, thanks Abby.” She smiles and spins around so her wife can see it.

Anya snakes her arms around her wife’s waist and pulls her close. “Mhm you look hot in that jacket.” She whispers in her ear.

Abby gives Octavia special gloves with spikes on them.

Octavia is balancing Emily on her hip. With one hand she accepts the gloves. “These are cool, thanks Abby.” She puts her daughter down so she can try to gloves on. “I’ll use these in my next battle.”

“I’m sensing my wife is going to get bruised.” Clarke notes.

“Lexa is my most challenging opponent, Clarke.” Octavia replies. “I’ll try not to bruise her too much.”

Aqua is running around. “Skye, Lily, Hope, come play.” She waves for her younger sisters to follow her to the play garden.

“Hey baby, take Emily with you.” Clarke says.

“Yes, mommy.” Aqua replies. “Emily, come.”

Clarke and Octavia smile while Aqua runs towards the play garden with Skye, Lily, Hope and Emily.

Blue tugs his mother’s pants. “Mommy, when do River and I get a brother?”

Clarke chuckles lightly. “River is your brother and you are his brother.”

“Yes, but we need another brother.”

Clarke crosses her arms. “Oh really and why is that?”

“Because there are four girls and it’s not fair.”

Clarke looks at her wife. “Hey Lexa, I think this time it might not be me who will try to convince you to have more children.” Her voice is light and bubbly.

Lexa shrugs. This is unbelievable. First her wife convinces her to have more children, resulting in six children. Now her son is going to try that. None of her skills trained her to resist their pleading looks.

“I appreciate your support, Clarke.” Lexa replies sarcastically. “Truly, it means so much.”

“I tried to be innocent once, and it didn’t work out.”

Lexa lets out a raspy laugh.

Abby and Kane pass out more gifts. They also brought pendants.

Lexa takes a green pendant for Hope. It’s in the shape of a clover. She walks up to her daughter and hangs it around her neck.

Lexa kisses the crown of Hope’s head. “May luck always find your way.” She whispers.

“It’s pretty, mama.” Hope whispers. Her shining green eyes stare at the pendant.

“Not half as pretty as you are.” Lexa whispers.

Hope’s eyes light up. “I love you, mama.”

“Mama loves you too.”

 

* * *

 

 

The drifters are sitting around the campfire, talking with each other and sharing stories.

Maya is wrapped up in Jasper’s arms. She’s happy to be here. Here, as a drifter, she can have the life she always wanted. Here on this island, there is peace. Not only did she find peace, she also found love. Jasper is really sweet and he has been guiding her around on this island since the night she arrived.

Tris who is now seventeen has been showing an interest in Roan. It is rather cute to see. Unfortunately for her, Roan didn’t seem interested in her. She likes how strong he is. Sometimes she asks him to battle against her, so she can spend time with him.

Roan tries his best to turn Tris down politely. He doesn’t feel like he could be more than her friend. He’s still slowly processing the unrequited feelings he has, or well had, for Clarke. Most of his people are already together with someone, and the same goes for the adult drifters.

Artigas who is now sixteen, took a liking to Charlotte, who is fifteen. They seemed to get along, but for the moment they’re just friends.

Lexa’s allies now not only joked that her island is an orphan island, they are now also joking that it is some kind of love island. Okay yes, they have been taking in many orphans and they still do, and yes many drifters are finding love. This island could be many things, but for the drifters this island is home.

It makes Lexa smile to see that some drifters are taking a liking to their allies. It makes her alliance with Roan and his people stronger. Aside from being allies, they’re also friends. Roan has respectfully followed her commands and fought enemies with her, even though Roan is a leader himself, with people of his own. She does not rule Roan nor Roan’s people.

Clarke has a strong friendship with Roan. Raven teased them sometimes and called them bros. She doesn’t really mind, Raven is not wrong. Her friendship with Roan does look as if they’re bros.

Kane grabs milk and chocolate from one of his suitcases. “I brought this so we can make hot chocolate.” He explains.

Lexa allows Kane to make hot chocolate milk for anyone who would like some. It feels good to sit around the campfire. The drifters are all here, Abby and Kane are here and their allies are here. Everyone is safe, happy and healthy.

Abby decided not to make a fuss about Clarke having six children. Her daughter adopted them all. When Clarke was younger, she used to think that someday Clarke would meet a nice guy and eventually get married. She did think there was a chance she’d be a grandmother someday, and of course she wanted to be. Though, she didn’t think she’d be a grandmother so soon and that she would have six grandchildren. If in the past someone would have told her that her daughter would live on an island, marry the woman who is the leader of that island and adopt six children, she would have told them they’re crazy.

Abby can tell how much her daughter loves those children. Clarke loves all six of them, equally as much. It was worrying to hear what had happened, to hear that the people on this island fought yet another enemy. In her heart she hopes this has been the last one. This island is a great place to have a vacation. It’s so peaceful and quiet. She can hear the waves at sea, in the distance.

Kane takes cups and hands them out with hot chocolate milk in them. He warns everyone that it’s warm, and to be careful not to burn their tongue.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s a very warm day. The sun is high up the sky. The drifters are on their beach, seeking some refreshment near the water.

Kane retrieves a few objects from his suitcase. He manages to make water balloons.

Lexa watches Kane as he tosses one of those things at Clarke. The strange thing snaps and water splashes out.

Clarke shrieks. She runs over to grab one of the water balloons and throws it at Kane.

Kane didn’t realize what he got himself into when he has to make more, because the children seem interested to play.

Gustus fetches a few buckets from his ship so they can use them to scoop water from the sea and splash each other with it.

Octavia runs around with a water balloon in each hand. “We should make teams!” She shouts.

“My family against yours.” Clarke suggest with a sly smile.

“No way, Clarke, you have six kids, I only have one!”

“I got a better idea.” Raven chimes in. “Adults against kids.”

“Thanks to your idea, the children will win.” Lexa replies. She points around at all the children. “We are clearly outnumbered.”

Raven waves her hand. “Come on, they’re just kids.” She looks around. “So what if they have more numbers than us adults? They got nothing on us.”

Kai mischievously grabs a bucket. “You’re wrong, mami.” He splashes his bucket at his mother.

Anya laughs and nudges her wife. “I bet you didn’t count on that.”

Lexa sees her children plotting together. It’s so cute and evil at the same time. She grabs two buckets, runs towards the sea and scoops water in them. She hurries towards her children.

“The water monster is going to get you, rawr.” Lexa roars playfully. She runs after her children with the two buckets.

Clarke falls down onto the sand and holds her stomach while she’s laughing. Her wife has been a tickle monster and now Lexa is being a water monster. It’s adorable to see her wife running after their children like that.

“Mommy is down, let’s get her!” Blue shouts. He grabs a water balloon and runs over to Clarke.

Aqua, River, Hope, Skye and Lily run after their brother with a water balloon in their hands.

Clarke screams when her children throw water balloons at her all at once. “Hey not fair, I’m down.”

Lexa reaches up to them and empties the buckets over their heads.

Clarke gasps. “Get her!” She shouts. She jumps up to her feet.

Lexa makes a run for it while she’s being chased by her wife and her children. She doesn’t make it far when she’s being tackled. “Oh no, you all got me.” Her voice is high pitched. She feels her children sitting on her back. Carefully she moves a little to shrug them off.

“Need a little help there, commander?” Raven mocks.

“Well yes, now that you are asking, I do.” Lexa replies dryly. “Octavia, I need your help.”

Octavia runs over to help Lexa. She scoops the twins under her arms.

Lexa stands up and scoops Aqua and Blue under her arms.

Clarke quickly helps by scooping River and Hope under her arms.

Anya leans against Raven and laughs. “You should see how silly this all looks.” She thinks it’s really something to see them all holding the children like that. “Lexa, you have so many kids with Clarke that you can’t even carry them all without asking help.”

Lexa looks at her wife with determination in her eyes.

Anya shakes her head. “No, Lexa, that doesn’t count!” She looks at the way Lexa allows the children to climb on her back and her legs. “That’s not exactly carrying them.”

“In a way, I am carrying them all, look.” Lexa takes a few steps with her six children around her body. “See.”

“Wait, don’t move.” Abby says. She takes her camera. “I have to take pictures of this.” She smiles brightly. “Clarke, join your wife.” She gestures her hand for Clarke to stand next to Lexa.

Clarke has a warm feeling when she hears her mom referring to Lexa as her wife. She swings her arm around Lexa and kisses her cheek for the picture.

The moment doesn’t last long when Roan splashes a bucket of water over them.

“Go get him kids!” Lexa shouts while pointing at Roan.

Raven laughs loudly. “Damn Roan, you better run fast, Lexa is sending her personal kids army after you.”

“Ah so that’s why Lexa has six children.” Anya says. “Now it all makes sense.”

“Well she can create and train her little army of kids as much as she wants, once we all grow up, Kai is going to defeat them all in a battle and he will be our next commander.”

Clarke softly pushes Raven. “Don’t be so sure of that. Kai is good I’ll give you that, but there are still many years to go. By the time that happens, they will all be adults with many years of training behind them.”

Octavia steps forward. “I think Emily has a chance to win when that time comes.” She smiles at her daughter. “She’s only two years old now, so we haven’t seen anything yet, so who knows.”

“I do agree with Octavia.” Lexa hums. “If Emily takes after her mother, she has a lot of potential.”

“Wow, did you seriously just gave me a compliment?” Octavia looks shocked.

A smile tugs at Lexa’s lips. “I speak truth. You are my best warrior. If Emily grows up to be like you, she will be great.”

Octavia is amazed by the admiration in Lexa’s voice. Once her daughter is a bit older, she would love to train her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're all so cute. I couldn't help myself when I gave clexa a sixth child :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The friendship between Octavia and Raven develops more in this chapter. Octavia has confused feelings about Lexa.

“Drifters, today we will battle.” Lexa announces proudly.

Clarke and Aden stand next to Lexa.

Raven and Octavia stand next to Anya.

The original teams as they have been for years.

Lexa holds her hands up. “The team captains will now decide who will join their team for today.”

Anya nods at Lexa and wait for Lexa to nod back, to make sure she can have the first pick.

Lexa smiles at her sister. “After you.” She says politely.

Anya peers around. “My team chooses Tris.”

Tris grabs a sword and joins Anya’s team with a smile. She has been getting along really well with Anya, and Anya has even been her mentor of sorts, to help her to get better. To her Anya feels like a big sister, even though Anya is not her sister at all.

Clarke whispers something in Lexa’s ear and Lexa nods.

“My team chooses Roan.” Lexa says.

Roan takes two swords and approaches Clarke. He can tell who picked him to be on Lexa’s team.

Anya completes her team with Indra, Lincoln and Kai.

Lexa completes her team with Ontari, Artigas and Charlotte. She picked Charlotte so she can go up against Kai.

Everyone who hasn’t been chosen will get a chance at another time.

Abby, Kane, Gustus and Jake sit down onto the sand, in a big circle with the drifters and their allies.

Kai gets the first battle against Charlotte. Even though Kai is five and Charlotte is fifteen, he is a warrior and she is not. He holds his sword proudly and does his best to make his swings strong.

When Charlotte loses her sword thanks to Kai, Lexa calls Kai out as the winner of the battle.

Kai runs around in the circle, holding his sword up in the air, with a bright smile on his face. He is proud that Lexa allowed him to battle and that he has won.

Clarke gets to battle against Anya. She receives a few strong punches from Anya. In between, she manages to punch Anya a few times. Most people seem a bit surprised when Clarke wins.

Raven gets ready to fight against Artigas. The current score is 1-1. If she can win this battle, her team will be one point ahead.

Artigas’ sword connects with Raven’s sword. He swings hard and fast. He doesn’t understand why Raven is grinning when she loses her sword, until she pulls two long daggers out of her sleeves.

Raven is wearing black leather pants and a dark red leather top. She likes to fight in this outfit with her long daggers. The point of her daggers is sharp and pierces through skin easily.

Artigas grunts lowly when Raven cuts his arm with one of her daggers. He manages to kick her down. When Lexa calls him out as the winner, Raven has stopped grinning.

Ontari gets to fight against Lincoln. Her team currently has two points while the other team only has one point. She fights like a tigress.

Lincoln uses his muscles and wins the battle, making the score equal.

Tris battles against Roan. She wants to prove herself, partly with the hope of winning Roan’s heart.

Roan is not pleased when Tris defeats him, though he’s impressed.

Aden fights Indra and wins. Some drifters cheer when he wins. He likes the fact that the drifters like him. He knows that anyone in Lexa’s close circle is highly respected. As Lexa’s brother, he is a part of that circle.

Lexa has the last battle against Octavia. The current score is a tie. Whoever wins this last battle wins for their team. She had secretly hoped for this to be the outcome. Octavia is a great warrior.

Lexa swirls her two swords around. She crosses them to block Octavia’s sword when she swings at her.

Abby is in for a real treat when she sees the way Lexa and Octavia are fighting. It looks as if neither one of them wants to stay down when they go down. They keep jumping back onto their feet.

The drifters and their allies go wild when Lexa wins.

Lexa grasps Octavia’s arm as a sign of respect. “You fought well, as always.”

Octavia dips her head. “Thank you, commander.”

“It has been my pleasure to battle against you.”

Octavia winks at Lexa. “I’ll battle you anytime you’d like.” A blush creeps up her cheeks. “I mean… um, I’m not flirting or anything I just eh…” She rubs the back of her neck. “Good game.”

Lexa laughs when Octavia awkwardly scrambles away. She didn’t mean to embarrass Octavia. This is still Raven’s fault. Ever since they played truth or dare on her father’s ship when they returned from visiting Abby, Octavia gets uncomfortable easily. The questions were hypothetical. It’s not like Octavia would actually kiss her and it’s not like she’d actually kiss Octavia. It was merely a hypothetical question about what if Clarke and Lincoln wouldn’t have been here.

Raven feels Lexa grabbing her arm and pulling her away. She looks at Lexa who does not look amused. She sighs deeply. “Okay, look, I’m sure I probably did something…but what did I do this time?”

“The game, it is your fault.” Lexa explains.

“What are you talking about? Your team won.”

Lexa shakes her head. “Not that game. The truth or dare game.”

“Oh my god, Lexa. That was like… almost a year ago!” Raven rolls her eyes.

“It changed things with Octavia.” Lexa crosses her arms. “I do not like this. Octavia is my best warrior and my right hand.”

Raven winks at Lexa. “I bet she’ll take any hand you’ll give her.” Okay, she should not have said that.

Lexa’s eyes widen. “Anya!” She shouts.

Anya runs up to her sister who looks like she’s about to murder her wife. “What did Raven do this time?”

Lexa pushes Raven in Anya’s arms. “You can deal with her. I need to have a word with Octavia.”

“Yeah, sure a word.” Raven mocks.

Anya elbows her wife. “Stop it.”

Lexa ignores Raven’s further comments. She walks up to Octavia and grasps her wrist to talk with her privately.

Octavia puts a strand of her hair behind her ear. “You want to talk?” She asks a bit shyly.

“I do not wish for things to be strange between us, Octavia.” Lexa sighs deeply. “It is Raven’s fault.”

Octavia shakes her head. “It’s not Raven’s fault that things are… a bit different.” She looks away from Lexa. “It’s my fault.”

Lexa narrows her eyes and tilts her head. “What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing it’s just eh…” Octavia fidgets with the hem of her shirt. “It’s thoughts I have and things I want to do, but I won’t and even if I would, I can’t.”

Lexa gently places Octavia’s chin in her hand and turns Octavia’s face so she can look at her. Once Octavia looks at her, she drops her hand.

“What is it you want to do?” Lexa asks. She wonders what it is that Octavia wants to do, but can’t do.

Octavia stares into Lexa’s eyes. “I can’t… I really can’t.” She shuts her eyes down for a second, before opening them again. “It would get me banished.”

Lexa is connecting everything in her mind. When she thinks she knows what Octavia means, Octavia is already walking away. Is or was Octavia thinking about kissing her? Is that the thing she can’t do because it would get her banished? If Octavia kisses anyone who isn’t Lincoln, she would be cheating, which would result in Octavia being banned. She created that rule when they played truth or dare nearly a year ago.

Lexa is confused and worried. She’s not sure if she’s right with her thoughts about what is going on with Octavia. She hates seeing Octavia torn, and that’s what worries her. Octavia is straight, as far as anyone knows. Plus, Octavia is very happy with Lincoln. If Octavia would desire women, surely she would have married a woman. Although when Octavia got together with Lincoln, there were no women available. At that time, she was already with Clarke and Anya with Raven. Perhaps Octavia is into men and women.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey Octavia, are you okay?” Raven asks, worried. She had followed Octavia to the river and something seems wrong. “Look, I know I tease a lot, but seriously, are you okay?”

Octavia sits down in the river in the shallowest part and pulls her legs up under her chin.

Raven sits down next to her in silence. For now, she doesn’t need to say anything. If Octavia wants to talk she will talk.

“Some things are so…” Octavia waves her hands around, looking for the right word. She finally settles with “complicated.”

Raven takes Octavia’s hand and squeezes gently. “They don’t have to be complicated.”

“But they are… It is.”

Raven turns her face to look at Octavia. “Do you want to talk about it?” She reaches her hand out to Octavia’s face and tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear.

“What would you do if you think you like someone?”

“Honestly? That is hard to answer.” Raven admits. “Anya is everything for me. She’s the sun that warms my skin. She’s the stars at night which take my breath away. She’s… everything.”

“Wow.” Octavia turns to look at Raven. “I didn’t know you’re such a sap.”

Raven shoves Octavia gently. “Anya is my wife and I love her like crazy, so yeah maybe that makes me a sap.” She bites her bottom lip. Usually she only shares those feelings with Anya.

“How do you feel about Lincoln?” Raven asks.

“I love him so much. He’s my husband, and I really, really love him.”

“And how do you feel about that person you like?” Raven asks to the point, not using any names because she doesn’t want to go and assume, though she has a hunch who it is Octavia likes.

Octavia shrugs. “Confused I guess.”

“Which sort of thoughts do you have about that person?”

“I guess I sometimes… I don’t know… I thought about kissing, but it’s so bad.” Octavia shuts her eyes. “I’m awful for thinking something like that, because I’m married and I really love Lincoln.”

Raven rubs small circles on Octavia’s back to comfort her. “Liking someone and thinking about kissing them is not the same as actually doing so. It is okay to wonder, to be curious. This does not mean you don’t love Lincoln. It is obvious that you love him very much.”

Octavia sucks in a deep breath. “What if… what if I like women too…?” Her lip trembles, she’s confused.

“Hey, O, look at me.” Raven whispers. She cups Octavia’s cheeks and looks at her. “It’s okay if you like women too, and it’s also okay if you don’t. You don’t have to label yourself. You like who you like. When you like a woman, it doesn’t have to mean you’re into women. It means you like the person you like, that’s it. No names, no labels. You are you, not some label, unless finding a label would make you feel more comfortable.”

“You know, when you’re not teasing, you’re actually great to talk to.” Octavia manages to smile a bit. “Thanks, Raven.”

“What can I say? I have my charms.” Raven winks at Octavia and taps her shoulder. “If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.” She stands up and holds her hand out to Octavia.

Octavia’s smile widens and she accepts Raven’s hand to pull her up.

“Just so you know, if it’s not me, I will be offended.” Raven says with a husky tone in her voice.

“Keep dreaming, Raven.”

They walk back to the beach together, chuckling and pushing each other.

 

* * *

 

 

“Is that cranberry juice or something?” Clarke asks, pointing at the cup her mother is holding.

“No honey, it is wine.” Abby answers. “I brought some bottles with me for this vacation, and in case someone would want a cup.”

“Can I try some?” Raven asks.

“Sure, honey.” Abby smiles politely. She pours some wine in a cup and hands it to Raven.

Raven takes a sip to taste it. “It’s got a funny taste.” She takes another sip. “Not bad though.”

Kane helps Abby to pour out a few more cups of wine for anyone else who wants to try.

The drifters and their allies don’t really know what hits them when they feel a bit tipsy. They have never been tipsy before.

Abby feels slightly guilty, but she doesn’t have much time to feel guilty because she’s tipsy too.

The children have never seen all the adults acting so weird before. The adults are laughing more than usual and they’re dancing around the campfire.

Octavia falls down on Lexa, when Lexa tipped over and had grabbed her wrist in a failed attempt not to fall. They both laugh loudly because they’re so tipsy that they literally tipped over. They stop laughing when their eyes lock. Octavia is suddenly realizing how close she is to Lexa now, so close she can feel Lexa’s breath tickling her skin.

Lexa licks her lips. She can see Octavia lowering her eyes and following the movement of her tongue. It makes her slightly nervous. Her heart is beating faster and she’s worried Octavia will feel it, since Octavia is still on top of her.

Octavia has certain thoughts swimming through her mind. If she would lean in… No, she can’t. She shouldn’t. Lexa would banish her. Lincoln’s heart would break. Clarke would be upset. If she kisses Lexa… Lexa might actually kill her rather than banish her.

“Um… Octavia.” Lexa whispers. She moves her hands around and places them on Octavia’s sides, so she can roll her over or something.

Octavia flinches when Lexa places her hands on her sides.

Lexa bites her lip and drops her hands like she’s been burned. She doesn’t want to upset Octavia. Lately Octavia has been behaving strange. She noticed Octavia had been more distant, while at the same time Octavia has been hanging around more with Raven. Oh wait… Maybe Octavia likes Raven? That’s possible. Maybe that’s why Octavia is worried about being banished. Maybe that’s why Octavia is keeping a distance, because she would be the one to banish Octavia if she would cheat on Lincoln.

“Octavia.”

“Uh yes… yes, Lexa?”

“Could you uh…” Lexa waves her hands around.

“Oh god, I’m sorry!” Octavia gets up and holds her hand out to Lexa. “I’m sorry for falling on you.”

Lexa sees Octavia’s cheek turning bright red. “It was my fault. I was falling and tried to steady myself, thus pulling you down with me.”

“Uh yeah right…” Octavia turns her gaze away. “I was distracted.”

Lexa follows Octavia’s gaze, which lands on Raven. “I see.”

“Hey, we should dance.” Clarke jumps up behind Lexa and grabs her hand. “Pleaseee.”

Lexa faces her wife and kisses her. “Mhm, of course.” She squeezes Clarke’s hand. “Lead the way.”

Clarke pulls her wife closer to flush their bodies together.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa feels the aftermath of drinking. She tumbles in her hammock with her wife.

Clarke tickles her wife and chuckles. The wine is getting to her head.

“I think Octavia is into Raven.” Lexa mumbles.

Clarke blinks her eyes a few times. “Hmm, what?”

“Octavia told me she is thinking things and wants to do something that would get her banished.” Lexa is blurting out more than she usually would, thanks to the wine. “You know how I said I would banish anyone who cheats.”

“Oh yeah, I know.” Clarke hums. “Our marriages are sacred.”

“I am worried about her.” Lexa admits. “She has been acting different.”

“Do you think she’d divorce Lincoln?”

“That is impossible, Clarke.” Lexa shakes her head. “Divorcing does not exist amongst us drifters.”

“My parents divorced.” Clarke slurs. “Mayyybe O wants to divorceee.”

“You had too much wine, Clarke.”

Clarke tries to crawl out of the hammock. It doesn’t go so smoothly and she stumbles a bit.

“Clarke, where are you going?”

“I’m go-goingg to taaalk to O.”

Lexa raises her eyebrow. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Clarke waves it off and makes her way out of their hut. She sees Octavia sitting around the campfire and stumbles towards her. “Heyyyy, O.”

Octavia’s head snaps up.

Clarke sits down next to Octavia and leans closer to whisper in her ear. “I know you’re into Raven.”

“What?” Octavia is confused. “Where did you get that idea from?”

Clarke pokes Octavia’s chest. “You like Raven.”

Octavia shakes her head. “No, Clarke, I don’t. Not like you think. Raven is my friend.”

Clarke chuckles, still tipsy from the wine. “You want to kiss Raven.”

Octavia stands up, feeling annoyed. “You’re wrong, Clarke.”

Clarke follows Octavia and grasps her wrist. “Come on, Oooo.” She laughs. “Oooo, it rolls off my tongue.” She shakes Octavia a little. “I know it’s true.” She doesn’t actually know if it’s true.

Octavia roughly pulls her arm away from Clarke’s grip. “Stop it, Clarke.” She warns.

“Admit it. You’re denying it because you’re worried to get banished.”

“For the last time, Clarke, I don’t like Raven like that!”

Clarke pokes Octavia a few times. “It’s fine if you like Raven.”

“I told you I don’t like Raven like that!” Octavia snaps. “It’s Lexa okay, I like Lexa.” She slaps her hand in front of her mouth and runs off.

Clarke is godsmacked. Octavia likes Lexa? Her Lexa? Well obviously her Lexa. What does this mean? Her thoughts are interrupted when someone pushes her, making her fall onto the sand.

Raven towers above Clarke with crossed arms. “I hope you’re happy now. You’ve really upset Octavia.” She sounds irritated. “This is not easy for her, you know?”

Raven is relieved that nobody else was around to see and hear what happened. Octavia is upset enough already. It’s not like Octavia chose to like Lexa, it simply happened. Octavia can’t help how she feels. She knows how much Octavia has been struggling with those thoughts. Clarke really pulled it out of Octavia. She turns her back to Clarke and walks away to find Octavia.

Clarke scrambles back up. In silence, she goes back to her hut and crawls in her hammock next to her wife. Her Lexa. Hers.

Lexa is concerned. “Clarke, is something wrong?”

“It’s not Raven.” Clarke groans. “You were wrong and I upset Octavia.”

Lexa sighs. “I did try to tell you that talking to Octavia did not seem like a good idea.”

“Yeah, you’re right, but you were wrong about Octavia liking Raven.”

“Okay.”

Clarke looks at her wife. “It’s you.”

“Hmm?”

“Octavia likes you.”

“Oh.”

Clarke snorts. “Yeah, oh sounds about right.” She smiles at her wife. “Maybe you should kiss her to help her with her confused feelings.”

“Clarke, this is not funny.”

“I’m not kidding, Lexa. I won’t be jealous.”

Lexa shakes her head. “You are not thinking straight.”

“Yeah, you don’t say.” Clarke scoffs. “That was quite clear when I married you.”

Lexa shuts her wife up with a kiss. She slides her hands under Clarke’s shirt.

Clarke is tired and fall asleep fast.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven finds Octavia near the river. It breaks her heart to hear Octavia crying. She wraps her arms around the younger woman and pulls her into a hug. She strokes Octavia’s hair while she cries.

“Clarke was being a bit of a jerk.” Raven whispers. “She had too much wine.”

“Clarke and Lexa are going to hate me.” Octavia sobs. “Now they will both know.”

“Nobody can hate you.” Raven holds Octavia at an arm’s length and looks at her. “You’re too lovely for anyone to hate you.”

“That’s flattering, but they are going to hate me.”

Raven wipes Octavia’s tears away with her thumb. “I don’t think they’d hate you.”

“Lexa is the commander. She can banish me.”

“She’s not going to banish you, O. You haven’t kissed her or anything, she can’t banish you based upon a feeling you have.”

“Who knows, maybe she will. Maybe I’m offending her marriage with Clarke. Lexa might make up a new rule and kick me off this island.”

Raven chuckles. “That won’t happen, O.”

Octavia bites her lip. “What if it does?”

“Look, if she tries to kick you off, she’ll have to kick me off too.”

Octavia shakes her head. “You don’t have to do that for me.”

Raven takes Octavia’s hands. “We’re friends, friends stick together.”

Octavia kisses Raven’s cheek. “Thanks, you’re awesome.”

Raven slings her arms around Octavia’s neck. “Yup, that’s me.”

“Are you two done making out?” Anya asks, suddenly appearing next to them.

“Nah, maybe in a bit.” Raven answers with a smirk.

Anya steps closer and places a hand on Octavia’s shoulder. “You okay?”

Octavia bites her lip and nods.

Anya holds her hands out for her wife and for Octavia. “We should all get some rest.”

“Ohh a threesome.” Raven jokes.

Anya rolls her eyes and says nothing.

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia silently slips into her hut, thinking that her husband might be sleeping. She has been on the beach quite a while. She spent some time around the campfire with Raven and Anya, before they decided to call it a night. She knows Raven and Anya both care about her. Raven has been listening to her a lot and has been giving her advice. She can see what Anya sees in Raven. Anya can tell something is wrong, but she doesn’t push anything.

Sometimes Anya still looks at her like she wants to protect her, like Anya would still be her guardian. Not that she blames Anya for that. After all, Anya did take care of her since she was eight. Anya is the one who taught her how to swim. It’s been eleven years. Anya taught her many things. Anya has been her guardian and her mentor. Eleven years ago she was a scared little girl, afraid of the water because she couldn’t swim. Now she is the second best warrior on the entire island, because Lexa is the best. She has been training a lot. It’s doubtful that she’ll ever be able to defeat Lexa, which makes it quite clear why Lexa is the commander.

She agrees with Lexa being the commander, she always has agreed. Lexa is strong and powerful. Lexa is born to lead. There is a lot to like about Lexa. The times where Lexa has that stoic look on her face don’t scare her. She knows Lexa’s softer edges. She has seen it when Lexa is around her wife and her children.

Lincoln gets up from their hammock and looks at his wife. “Something wrong?” He asks with a deep and low voice.

Octavia had been wrong to think he would be sleeping. She wraps her arms around him.

Lincoln holds her close and tenderly strokes her back. He presses a gentle kiss on his wife’s forehead. He knows something seems to trouble Octavia, but he’s not going to pry it out of her. If his wife wants to talk about it, she will eventually.

“I have confused feelings.” Octavia answers earnestly. She feels like her husband has the right to know the truth. “What if… I don’t know… Maybe I like women too.” She takes a deep breath. “You must know that I love you deeply, and I always will.”

Lincoln takes her hands and looks into her eyes. “It’s okay if you like women too.” He places one of her hands on his chest. “I know you love me, just like I love you.”

“I’ve been having thoughts… confusing ones.” Octavia whispers. “Remember that game of truth or dare?”

“You and Lexa?”

Octavia tries to keep her hands from shaking. “Things have changed since then. I have thoughts about wanting to… thinking to…” She bites her lip.

Lincoln is calm and collected. “I see.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, Lincoln.” Octavia whispers with a broken voice. “I won’t… Lexa would banish me, you know how it goes and I really, really love you. Sometimes I just wonder what it would be like… that’s all.”

Lincoln nods. “You want to experience it so you wouldn’t be confused anymore.”

“Well… yeah, I guess.” Octavia sighs deeply. “Those confused feelings don’t take away the fact that I love you.”

“If Lexa would not banish you for it, would you?”

Octavia knows what her husband is asking. She knows he’s asking if she’d kiss Lexa if she wouldn’t get banished for it. Would she? She’s not sure. If she does, it would hurt Lincoln and it would also hurt Clarke. No, she thinks the answer is no.

Lincoln sees the confusion swirling in Octavia’s eyes. “I am going to spend the night on the beach. Take your time to think. Let me know when you know.”

Octavia wants to ask him to stay, but at the same time she wants to give him space. All she can do is nod and watch her husband exit their hut.

 

* * *

 

 

“Octavia, are you awake?”

Octavia slowly opens her eyes. She jolts up when she sees Lexa standing next to her hammock.

“I apologize for startling you.” Lexa whispers.

“Lexa what… why are you… here?” Octavia tries to steady her voice, but she’s failing.

Lexa flicks her wrist. “Follow me.”

Octavia confusedly crawls out of her hammock and follows Lexa. This is the first time Lexa entered her hut like this, and the first time when it must be the middle of the night. There is a privacy rule for all drifters about not entering someone’s hut, unless they have allowed you to enter.

Lexa walks next to Octavia. “I would have asked for your permission to enter your hut.” She whispers as if she can read Octavia’s thoughts. “I did not want to wake Emily.”

Okay, that makes sense to Octavia. Emily is sleeping like a little angel.

Lexa stops somewhere between the trees and sits down. She looks at Octavia expectantly.

Octavia sits down next to Lexa.

“I took you out here to have a word with you.” Lexa explains.

“Clarke told you.” Octavia knows she doesn’t have to ask. She’s quite sure that’s the case.

Lexa nods solemnly.

“Okay Lexa I…” Octavia takes a few deep breaths. “Please don’t banish me, I don’t mean to offend you or Clarke.”

Lexa turns her face to look at Octavia. “I am not going to banish you.”

“Really?”

“You have not done anything wrong.”

Octavia nervously fidgets with her hands. She nearly jerks up when Lexa slips her hand into one of hers, and gives her a soft squeeze in an attempt to comfort her. Lexa’s hand is so warm.

“I shouldn’t have said what I said to Clarke.” Octavia whispers. She hopes her hands aren’t sweating.

“Clarke had too much wine.” Lexa replies. “She took it rather well.”

Octavia stares at Lexa. “What did Clarke say?”

“She told me I should kiss you.”

Octavia gasps. “W-what?” She stutters.

Lexa chuckles lightly.

“You’re kidding me.” Octavia whispers. “It’s just a joke, I see.”

Lexa shakes her head. “I am not kidding. Clarke did suggest for me to kiss you.”

“Is that why… uh….”

Lexa gives Octavia’s hand another squeeze. “No, that is not why I took you here. As I said, I took you here to have a word with you.”

“I really, really love Lincoln.”

“I know.”

“I’m sorry, really I am.” Octavia whispers. “Are you mad at me?”

“I am not angry.” Lexa replies calmly.

“I shouldn’t have those thoughts.”

Lexa carefully cups Octavia’s cheeks and looks at her. “I know what I said that day about banishing anyone who would cheat. Our marriages are sacred, not to be messed with. Having certain thoughts and feelings does not mean you have been cheating. You have not acted upon those thoughts and feelings.” She points at Octavia’s chest. “May I?”

Octavia bites her lip and nods, not sure what she’s actually agreeing with.

Lexa places one hand on Octavia’s chest. “You have a beating heart, you feel. Your feelings are a part of who you are. I am not going to banish you because you feel.”

Octavia’s lip is trembling. “Not even if a part of what I feel is… for you?”

“This feeling you have has been developing since that game nearly a year ago, yes?”

Octavia shamefully nods. That day is what brought it all on.

Lexa’s voice is soft and sweet, full of understanding. “When I got asked who I would kiss if it would not be for Clarke, and you heard I chose you, you felt something, yes?”

Octavia nods again. This conversation is easy for one part, because Lexa seems to know what to ask. For the other part this is very difficult and she feels vulnerable.

“You felt excited when you heard my answer, yes?”

Once again, Octavia nods.

Lexa smiles weakly at Octavia. “Sometimes one desires what one can’t have. Things can be tempting, exciting, new. People can have a desire to try what will make them feel alive.”

“I guess that makes sense… I do desire…” Octavia swallows thickly. “The thoughts I have… they’re dangerous and they’re thrilling at the same time. I’ve been asking myself what if… what if I like women too. I never had the chance to know what that is like.”

“Do you think it would be worth the risk to kiss a woman?” Lexa asks carefully.

“Risking my marriage? Risking hurting people I care about?” Octavia sighs deeply. “No, not really, but…”

Lexa softly kisses Octavia’s cheek.

Octavia feels a blush creeping up her cheeks. She wants to pull away, but she can’t.

Lexa studies Octavia’s face. “Do you think a kiss can be just that, a kiss?”

“No, a kiss always means something. I can’t kiss someone without it meaning anything.”

“I married Clarke because I love her with all I have.” Lexa looks at Octavia. “If someone else had been asked who they would kiss if not their partner, and had answered with your name, how would you feel?” She takes Octavia’s hand. “If Raven had been asked that question, or Anya, or Clarke, and they had chosen you, how would you feel?”

“Special.”

“You are special, Octavia. You are my best warrior. You are strong.”

Octavia wraps her arms around Lexa and hugs her. She feels Lexa sinking into the hug, and wrapping her arms around her. “Thank you.” She whispers in Lexa’s ear.

“You are my best friend, Octavia.”

Octavia pulls away slightly to look at Lexa. She has tears in her eyes. “Really? I’m your best friend?”

Lexa wipes Octavia’s tears away and smiles at her. “Yes.” Octavia is her best friend. She gets along with her, and she has seen Octavia grow up since Octavia was eight.

“You can be one of my best friends too, but you’ll have to share that position with Clarke and Raven.” Octavia smiles brightly.

Lexa is happy to see Octavia smile so genuinely.

“So now that we’re besties, does this mean I can hug you when I want?” Octavia asks with a playful tone in her voice.

Lexa rolls her eyes. “We shall see.”

Octavia stands up and holds her hand out for Lexa. “That’s good enough for me.”

Lexa takes Octavia’s hand to get up.

Together they walk back to the huts. They laugh a bit and Lexa listens to Octavia talking happily.

Octavia gives Lexa one last hug before running off onto the beach to find Lincoln.

Lexa smiles and slips into her hut.

Clarke grins at her wife. “So did you kiss her?”

Lexa grabs a pillow and smacks it at Clarke. “As a matter of fact, no. Octavia and I are besties now.”

Clarke tosses the pillow back at her wife. “You’re gonna have to share that position.”

“So I’ve been told.”

Clarke pulls her wife on top of her in their hammock. “It’s sweet what you did for Octavia.”

“You were not there, Clarke. You do not know what I said.”

Clarke smiles at her wife and kisses her. “No, but I know you and that’s more than enough.” She knows Lexa has a good heart, and the fact that Lexa and Octavia are besties now says a lot.

Lexa kisses her wife back. “You are charming.”

“Yes, that’s me. Clarke Charming Griffin.”

“In that case, can I marry you again? You see, I married Clarke Griffin. I would love to marry Clarke Charming Griffin as well.”

Clarke chuckles. “Shut up, you dork.”

“I am your dork.” Lexa replies with a sultry tone in her voice.

“Mhm.” Clarke hums. “And don’t you forget it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the next chapter I plan to jump ahead a few years. 
> 
> Maybe it's obvious, but Lexa, Clarke, Raven and Octavia are my favorites. That's why they tend to appear the most in the story. 
> 
> I watched the new episode of the 100 (yes still watching that) and I was like wtf. It's a sinking ship, ugh. If Lexa would still be alive and that A.I crap wouldn't be in it, it would actually be a good show. Plus, Lincoln and Aden deserved better. Or in short, fuck you Jrot.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Abby invites her daughter to visit her in civilization, with her family.

Four years have passed. The drifters and their allies live in peace. There haven’t been any enemies since Mountain Island. After their victory, the drifters became known to most islands. Rumors always seemed to spread fast.

Each time Gustus and Jake would search other islands for orphans that might need a home they would hear people talk about the drifters. People on other islands speak highly about the drifters. They call them fierce, undefeatable warriors and kindred spirits with warm hearts who take in orphans and others without a home.

Over the years, Lexa has been welcoming adults on her island as well. Usually her people only took children in, but after defeating Mountain Island that had changed. The adults she takes in can be quite resourceful and skilled in certain ways. Taking in adults helps to balance everything a bit.

Echo, Maya and Clarke are the healers of the drifters. Echo and Maya have combined their knowledge to teach each other, and to teach Clarke. During Abby’s visits, she taught them all she could, and each time she would bring more medical supplies. Bandages appeared to be quite handy, especially after the drifters battle against each other. The drifters never badly harm each other, but they often end up with some cuts and bruises.

The friendship between Octavia and Lexa has grown stronger. They still keep choosing each other when they battle, and Lexa still keeps winning. Together they often train others, especially when someone is new to their island. They thrive to make the drifters strong, so they can always be prepared in case a new enemy would step to the plate. When it’s dark they often sit on a tree log together and talk, with Clarke and Lincoln next to them. Raven and Anya often sat next to them as well, quickly joined by Aden and Ellis.

Lexa, Clarke, Octavia, Anya, Raven and Aden had always been rather close, since they grew up together on the island. For so many years, they only had each other. Their connection with each other runs deeper than their connection with the other drifters, though they made some very dear friends. Even from their allies they made good friends, mostly Roan and Ontari.

Kai who is now nine, has been training a lot. He is no longer the youngest one who is training and battling. He is still fearless. He often hides into the shadows and jumps out when nobody expects him. When he runs, he is light on his feet. Growing older only made him sneakier.

Emily who is now six, has been training too. Her mother had convinced Lexa to let her train when she turned four. In two years’ time, she made a lot of progress. Lexa had been right when she had told Octavia that Emily could be great if she would take after Octavia, and it turned out Emily did take after Octavia. She is a small child and she looks younger than she is. She’s slender and appears fragile, but she’s not fragile at all. When she battles against Kai, she makes it difficult for him to win.

Kai and Emily are best friends. They’re fiercely protective over each other. Emily never jumps up when Kai appears out of nowhere, when he had been hiding in the shadows. Kai’s sneakiness is funny in Emily’s eyes. Kai has been teaching Emily how to climb trees and how to throw daggers, and Emily, much like her mother, is eager to learn.

Octavia and Lincoln are extremely proud of their daughter. Emily never cries when she ends up with a cut lip or a small slash in her arm. When Emily falls down, she jumps back up again, just like her mother. Octavia is twenty-three and she is still Lexa’s best warrior. Nobody will take that title away from her. She knows Emily is going to be great as she gets older.

Clarke and Lexa, who are now twenty-five, have been training their children too. Blue and Aqua who are now eight are not fierce when then train. Clarke noticed they are softer and gentler. She feels like maybe they could be healers when they grow up. River and Hope are seven. River has become stronger and he doesn’t scare easily. There isn’t much of a trace left of the scared little boy he once was. He might become a warrior when he grows up. Hope is a fragile child. In everything she does, she is peaceful. When she battles, she refuses to hurt anyone.

Skye and Lily are six. They have been training too, and they often battle together against someone because as twins, they are quite inseparable. Lexa doesn’t want to tear them apart, so she lets them fight together and chooses two opponents for them. Skye and Lily always have each other’s back.

Luna had left Ontari about three years ago, which had shattered Ontari’s heart. In a strange turn of events, Ontari ended up with Roan, who had taken a liking to her. Roan had been able to mend her broken heart and to make her feel again. Together they had adopted a boy who they named Hunter, who is now seven years old.

Bellamy and Echo have a daughter together, named Ophelia. The drifters had stared at Echo and Ophelia with wide eyes. It was the first time a baby got born on their island. Abby had been on the island to help Echo and to make sure everything went well. Echo has helped women through pregnancies, but Maya and Clarke hadn’t, which led to them needing Abby.

Artigas and Charlotte had gotten closer over the years, and now have a steady relationship. They are taking things slow and will wait to get married. They don’t want to rush anything.

Raven, Anya and Octavia had lost their bets, much to their dismay. They had been so sure that Clarke would convince Lexa to have more children, and that Lexa would say yes. So far that surprisingly hadn’t happened yet, despite the puppy eyes Clarke gave her wife sometimes when new orphans arrived on their island.

Lexa feels like her six children are six possible heirs to her title as commander. Some drifters had insisted to see Clarke and her as queens. They had explained that Roan is a king on his island, and with her being the leader on this one, some insisted she would be a queen with Clarke. Queen makes her feel old. She did like the idea of her children being princesses and princes.

Lexa has been thinking about how she will eventually pass her title on. At some point she felt like she could choose one of her children. After all, she does have six possible heirs. She stepped back on that thought, feeling like it would not be fair towards the other children.

When Lexa sat down with her wife, Anya, Raven, Octavia and Aden, they had discussed it. She values their opinions and regularly takes their advice into consideration. In a way, they are her special elite team, because they were on this island first, long before anyone else was.

The decision had been made that eventually there would be a conclave. In that conclave, her children will battle, along with Kai and Emily. They discussed that perhaps a few other promising children will be allowed to battle in that conclave too. Aside from battling, there will be a few other tests. The child who comes out as the best will become the next commander.

They decided that the conclave and those tests will take place in advance. Lexa wants to know who the next commander will be, before she dies or before she is older. She has been discussing to let it take place in a few years, so she can personally train the next commander. In fifteen years from now, when she turns forty, she will let the next commander rule. By then the children will be adults, able to train their next generation.

The tests will have certain try outs. The purpose of the tests and the conclave is to keep three children, who will be trained more and receive more tests. One of those three will be Lexa’s heir. Favoring her own children would not be right.

In the conclave, the children will battle. Until only one is left as the winner. When a child feels they cannot fight any longer, they have to surrender and leave the circle. They are allowed to wound each other. Killing each other is forbidden. Aside from that, there aren’t really any rules. They can choose any weapon of their liking. If two children decide to team up against one other child, that’s allowed too. In the end only one child can win the conclave.

All of their skills will be tested during several tests. Lexa wants to make sure her people can have the best possible commander after she passes her title on to the next.

Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia and Aden have been arguing a lot about when the conclave and the tests should take place. Lexa and Octavia feel like it should take place five years from now, so Lexa would have ten years left to train the child who wins. Lexa will let the winning child be some sort of co-commander, so the child can learn.

Clarke argued that if it would take place in five years from now, the children would be too young. She argued that in five years from now, the twins would only be eleven years old. Aden was torn between agreeing with Clarke and agreeing with Lexa. Anya leaned towards agreeing with Lexa and Octavia, because Lexa became the commander when she was twelve, so she felt like they wouldn’t be too young to battle and to do tests, so the winner can be trained for ten years after that. Raven remained undecided.

Lexa asked to vote yes or no, for letting the children battle in five years from now. Anya and Octavia voted yes, as did she.

Clarke voted no, and Raven decided to vote no as well. If Clarke gets her way, she wants to wait ten years rather than five.

Aden ended up voting yes, making it final that the children will battle in five years from now.

Clarke isn’t too keen about that. In five years from now, the twins will be eleven years old. She feels like that’s too young. River and Hope will be twelve. Aqua and Blue, her eldest children will be thirteen. She already knows that in the conclave, they will be battling against Emily, who will be eleven. Emily will be amongst the youngest, just like her twins, but nobody should underestimate Emily. She already sees how skilled Emily is with her current six years, so in five years from now that will be quite something. Then there’s Kai, who will be battling too. He will be fourteen and perhaps one of the oldest to battle. Kai is good, too good. It wouldn’t surprise her if Kai wins the conclave.

Though they still have five years to prepare the children for that conclave and those tests, which help her breathe. She will do her best to train her children. Another relief is that the children are allowed to withdraw at any point they’d like when all of those things take place five years from now. They will have a choice if they want to participate or not.

It has been decided that children no older than sixteen and no younger than six will be allowed to participate. Clarke hopes that there won’t be any six year olds who will want to participate. The conclave can get too rough when older children are participating as well.

Anya took notes of the rules and wrote them down. They had been creating their own book of rules, for their people. Each time rules were created, Anya wrote them down.

 

* * *

 

 

The children groan when they have to sit on the tree logs to learn things like reading and writing, amongst other things.

Lexa insisted the children would be taught such things, so they can be smart. She remembers how Anya used to teach her and the other things when they were younger. Her father and Jake made sure they would have paper and pens so they could write, and books to read.

Lexa assigned each adult with certain tasks, so her island consisted of healers, mentors, teachers and a few other things.

Raven proudly accepted the task to be a teacher for the children. In between she tried to figure out if any of the children would have a knack for technology, like her. The children often complained that her lessons were too difficult. The Latina would smile at their complaints and wave it off.

A few other drifters had been assigned as teachers as well. There are nearly fifty children amongst the drifters. Often the children got separated into groups to learn things.

Echo and Maya try to pass on their healer’s knowledge, to see which children have the potential to be healers when they grow up.

Lexa and Octavia spent a lot of time together, training their children. Anya often joined them with Kai.

“Emily and Kai both have a lot of potential.” Lexa says, pleased with their skills.

“Yeah they do.” Octavia agrees. “Perhaps they will be two of the three children to get through the first tests, and then the third will be one of your children.”

Lexa licks her lips. “It is possible.” She thinks about all the tests they are planning. “One of the tests will not be easy.”

Anya looks at her sister. “Are you talking about that one where they get dropped onto a small island for a week where they have to survive?”

“Yes.”

“They will be fine, it’ll only be for a week.” Octavia replies. “We were young when we arrived on this island. The children will be better skilled than we were.”

“Maybe there will be younger children participating too.” Anya says.

Lexa shakes her head. “I doubt that.”

Anya looks at Emily who is battling against Kai. “Emily is really a little squirt. She’s shorter than the other children.”

“She takes after her mother.” Lexa adds.

Octavia laughs lightly.

Anya looks at her sister. “I bet in the conclave your twins will team up together, those two are always sticking together.”

Lexa nods. “I believe you are right.” She smiles a bit. “In the end, only one can win the conclave.”

 

* * *

 

 

Raven is tinkering with the special radio she built when Abby tries to contact her.

_“Raven, are you there?”_

Raven presses a button the reply.

“Yeah I’m here, Abby.”

_“Hi honey, it’s good to hear you.”_

“My radio is amazing, right?”

Raven is proud for getting it all to work properly, so the drifters can stay in touch with civilization when they like. She arranged some frequencies on her radio. One is for Abby and Kane, another is for Gustus and Jake when they sail out and she even has one for Roan when he’s on his island. She has an extra hut which is pretty much her workstation. It had been a gift from Lexa, an amazing gift.

_“I would like to invite Clarke with her family to come here.”_

“Uh, I’ll go get Clarke and Lexa to ask. They’re not really fond of civilization.”

Lexa and Clarke wouldn’t exactly jump around in joy to go to civilization, no, definitely not.

_“I know they are not, but it has been years.”_

Raven knows that’s true. It really has been years since they visited Abby. The only time they visited Abby was before they had their war against Mountain Island. That was five years ago. During those five years, Abby did visit them a few times. She can hear the desperation in Abby’s voice.

“I’ll go get Clarke and Lexa, give me a few minutes.”

Raven drops her radio and runs to go find Clarke and Lexa. It doesn’t take long for her to find them. They’re on the beach with their children, being all cutesy.

“Abby is on the radio, she wants to talk about an invitation.” Raven says when she reaches Clarke and Lexa.

Clarke and Lexa nod and follow after Raven.

Raven gives Clarke her radio.

“Mom, are you there?”

_“Hey honey, I want to invite you to visit me.”_

“I don’t know, mom.”

_“You can bring your wife and your children.”_

Clarke looks at her wife, searching for answers in her eyes. The silent pleading in her mother’s voice is evident.

Lexa sighs and nods. It has been five years. Maybe they could go for a few days.

“Okay mom, we accept your invitation. We will pack our things and we will see you in a week when we arrive.”

_“I look forward to it.”_

Clarke looks at her wife. “Uh… we should pack.”

“I wonder how the children will react.”

Clarke thinks about it. Hope has never been to civilization. It might be a bit overwhelming. Skye and Lily might not remember civilization. They were only one year old when they visited Abby before. River, Aqua and Blue might have vague memories. There is a big contrast between their island and civilization.

Lexa and Clarke go to the beach so they can tell their children to pack.

Hope is trying to make a crown of flowers. Aqua and Blue are bringing her more flowers.

Skye and Lily are collecting shells together.

River is in the water to splash some water at his siblings.

The children all look so happy here on their island.

Lexa clears her throat, which makes her children look at her. “You all need to pack we will be visiting your grandmother.” She says evenly.

“Are we going to sail with the ship?” Aqua asks.

“Are we going to Abby’s house?” Blue asks.

Hope looks at her mother. “Are we leaving our home?”

Clarke kneels down next to her children. “We are not leaving our home, not forever. We will be visiting your grandmother, and after a few weeks we will be back home.”

Lexa claps her hands. “Go pack your bags, now.” Her voice is soft and slightly demanding.

“Yes, mama.” The children say in unison.

Lexa gathers all the drifters and informs them about the trip she will making with her wife and children.

Five years ago, Lexa had left Aden in charge, which was not bad at all. Back then Anya, Raven, Octavia, Lincoln and Indra went with them, with Kai and Emily. This time they will not be joining them. There is no need to drag them all along. Lexa and her wife can handle their six children.

Lexa holds her hands up to speak.

The drifters are expecting Lexa to leave Aden in charge, but she makes a different choice, which surprises them, although it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise really.

“Octavia, my right hand.” Lexa calls out. “I am leaving Octavia in charge during my absence.”

Octavia stands up with a big smile on her face. She never had a chance like this before.

Lexa looks around. “Anya and Aden, you will both assist Octavia.” She orders.

“I will make sure everyone keeps training and learning.” Octavia promises.

Lexa pulls Octavia in a hug, not caring about everyone seeing her doing so. She hugs her siblings as well. She dismisses everyone so she can go pack her bags.

 

* * *

 

 

Gustus and Jake are waiting on board of Gustus’ ship. There are three cabins available for Clarke, Lexa and their six children. One will be for Clarke and Lexa. The other two are for the children.

They know a few things are going to be an issue. Shoes for starters. The drifters still do not wear shoes. The children on the island wouldn’t even know what a shoe is when it hits them in the face.

Skye and Lily are carrying a suitcase together. The girls are exactly alike, only their looks are a bit different. Skye has blonde hair and blue eyes, while her sister Lily has brown hair and green eyes. Other than that, they’re pretty much identical about everything. They’re a bit stubborn and insist that they carry their suitcase themselves.

Aqua’s blonde hair has gotten longer. It stops halfway her back and it’s slightly curled. That combined with her blue eyes makes her look like an angel. She’s dragging her suitcase over the sand.

Her brother Blue runs towards her to help her. Those two often stick together, as if they would be twins too, even though they’re not.

Hunter walks up to Hope and gives her a rose. “This is for you.”

Hope smiles at him. “Thank you, Hunter. I like it.” She brings it up to her nose and her smile brightens.

Lexa and Clarke chuckle at the way their daughter is being admired. Hunter was not the only boy who had took a liking to Hope.

Hope has bright forest green eyes, with tiny specks of yellow in them. Little freckles decorate her nose and cheeks. She has milk blonde hair.

Each time Clarke and Lexa look at Hope, they’re so relieved they saved her from Mountain Island, along with all those other children and innocent people. It’s awful that Hope struggled so much to make it through the night when they had returned from that war. They can’t fathom how anyone would hurt such a sweet innocent little girl. Cage had really been drawing the life out of her. Luckily she recovered well.

River protectively stands next to Hope, not allowing any other boys to come close.

Lexa, Clarke and their children wave to the drifters and their allies when they’re on board of Gustus’ ship.

The children are going to miss their friends on the island. They will also miss their auntie Anya, auntie Raven, auntie Ellis and uncle Aden. Auntie Anya feels like a third mother to them, she’s really sweet. Auntie Raven tells them funny stories and shows them how to make things go boom. Their mama was not happy when Auntie Raven made one of the spare huts go boom. Auntie Ellis often plays with them at their play garden or at the river. Uncle Aden secretly gives them extra berries or more chocolate milk, even after their mommies told them they couldn’t get any more. They also like Octavia a lot, because she is really cool.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven nudges Octavia. “Looks like you’re in charge now.” She smirks.

“Yup, I’ll be the leader for a few weeks.” Octavia beams.

“Now you can get all bossy.” Raven winks. “I bet you look hot when you’re giving commands.”

“Are you flirting with me?” Octavia raises her eyebrow and pushes Raven. “Cut it out.”

Raven playfully pushes Octavia back. “I’ll go teach the kids with Anya, love ya.” She kisses Octavia’s cheek and runs off.

“Your ass is mine, Reyes!” Octavia shouts after Raven.

Raven turns around and smirks. “You wish, Blake!” She shouts back.

“You’ll have your hands full with her.” Lincoln says to his wife.

Octavia snakes her arms around his neck and reels him in for a kiss.

“I love you, Octavia.”

Octavia smiles against his lips. “I love you too.”

Octavia’s connection with Lincoln has been growing stronger. She enjoys being his wife. The confused feelings she had four years ago are long gone. The reason she liked Lexa in particular is because she would love to be like her. Lexa is the best warrior of the drifters. Now that Lexa is away to visit Abby, she is the best warrior and the island, plus Lexa left her in charge. Now she can have a taste of what it’s like to lead. She hopes Lexa will be proud of her.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke is standing on the deck of Gustus’ ship, peering around over the sea, watching the waves roll while her wife’s arms are wrapped tightly around her waist. She leans back a bit to press her body against Lexa’s chest.

Lexa moves her head to the side, to kiss her wife’s cheek.

There is a soft gentle breeze and it feels nice.

“Can you braid my hair?” Clarke asks.

Lexa narrows her eyes for a moment. She knows Clarke isn’t exactly a fan of braids. She complies and weaves her fingers through her wife’s hair.

Clarke feels her wife’s nails gently scraping against her skull.

It’s silent for a moment until their children walk on the deck. The children are arguing.

Clarke turns around and smiles weakly at her wife. She will let Lexa braid her hair later.

Lexa holds her hands up for her children. They stop arguing right away. She taught them better.

It never stops to amaze Clarke how well respected her wife is.

Clarke kneels down to look at her children. “What’s the matter?”

River sighs and crosses his arms. “Skye and Lily want to sleep together.” He points at them. “And Aqua and Blue want to sleep together too. I want to share with Hope.”

“That’s okay. So what’s the problem then?”

“There are only two cabins, mommy.” Aqua replies.

Lexa kneels down. “I see.” She looks at her children. “Four of you can sleep in one cabin and the other two in the other cabin.”

“Really?” River asks.

Lexa nods. “Of course.”

Clarke and Lexa are relieved that they never argue about anything serious. It’s always about little things that are easy to solve.

“I want to share a cabin with my sisters.” Aqua says.

“What about me?” Blue asks, sounding offended.

“You can sleep with River.” Aqua replies.

River pouts. “I want to share with Hope.”

“We want Hope in our cabin.” Skye says, linking her arm with Lily.

“No more bickering.” Clarke warns. “You could switch every night, okay?”

Hope stands idly by as her siblings bicker about who will sleep with who. It doesn’t matter for her who she’ll sleep with. She likes all her siblings and she wouldn’t want to choose between them.

Lily tugs at Lexa’s pants. “Mama, can you braid my hair?”

Lexa nods. She grabs a chair and lifts Lily on top of it, so she can braid her hair.

“I want braids too, mama.” Skye says.

“I will braid your hair once I’m done braiding Lily’s hair.” Lexa replies.

Skye pouts and looks at Clarke.

Clarke chuckles and grabs another chair to put Skye on top of it, so she can braid Skye’s hair, while her wife braids Lily’s hair.

Aqua takes a ribbon from her bag and ties it in Hope’s hair. She smiles at her sister and kisses her cheek.

Having the equipment for water balloons on board of Gustus’ ship was probably a bad idea.

The children splash water balloons at each other, at their mothers and at their grandfathers.

Lexa takes her shirt off, leaving her in her black sport bra. Her shirt is soaked. She wrings it out.

Clarke admires her wife’s tattoos. Her back is running out of space, with all the birds she has tattooed there, along with the names of their children. She knows Lexa loves their children just as much as she does. She remembers when they first adopted Aqua and she wanted a second child. She was so happy when her wife said yes. Back then she didn’t think she’d actually end up convincing Lexa to adopt six children. Being twenty-five and having six children is amazing. A part of her secretly wants more. She can’t help it, she really likes children.

Clarke watches as her children play with the water balloons. They’re all getting so big. Her eldest children are eight years old, and the youngest are six years old. It’s all going so fast. It was funny when Raven, Anya and Octavia lost their bets, though they could have been right. When they made a bet she would try to go for eight children, it didn’t sound so crazy. Maybe it’s because she has always been an only child. Big families are appealing to her. She wonders if Lexa would say no.

Of course Lexa said really no more children, because six is already quite a lot, and more than most. Yet, she can’t help but wonder if Lexa would say yes again if she’d ask her. She can tell that each time she asked to adopt a child, her wife looked equally as smitten as she did. River and Blue would like to have a brother, because they feel outnumbered. That could help her to plead her case.

Lexa feels her wife stealing glances at her tattoos. “No, Clarke.” She whispers.

“What no?”

Lexa chuckles lightly. “I know what you are thinking, I know that look on your face.”

“Pff.” Clarke waves her hand. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Lexa.” Okay, yes, she does know what her wife is talking about, but how did Lexa know? It’s like her wife reads her mind every time.

“I have seen that look five times after we had Aqua, plus all the times you looked at new orphans.”

Clarke steps closer to her wife and kisses her. Her tongue gently traces Lexa’s bottom lip.

Lexa pulls away to look at her wife. “Your bribery shall not work.”

Clarke holds her hands up. “I’m innocent. Six children is fine. I’m not trying to bribe you.”

Lexa tilts her head and studies her wife’s face.

Clarke knows she’ll have to step up her game if she wants to convince her wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm tempted to give clexa more children. For the moment I haven't decided yet, but I'm leaning towards yes. Can you imagine once they grow up, and they go somewhere, then someone is like 'you brought an army' (because they'd be cute warriors by then) and Lexa would be like 'what? No, those are my children.'
> 
> As for the conclave thing in my story, there's no way I'd let them kill each other. They're all cinnamon rolls who have to live forever.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clexa is in civilization, meanwhile the other drifters are partying. The clexa kids have curious questions.

Clarke and Lexa are sitting on the deck of Gustus’ ship with their children.

Skye looks at her mothers. “Why is it that we have two mommies when Emily has a mommy and a daddy?” She asks curiously.

Skye has been wondering about that for a while. She knows she has two mommies and no daddies. Kai also has two mommies and no daddies, but Emily has a mommy and a daddy. Ophelia has a mommy and a daddy too, and Hunter has a mommy and a daddy. Why do some have one of each while she has two mommies and no daddy?

Lily joins her sister. “Why is uncle Aden with a girl? Monty and Miller are two boys who are together because they kiss. Auntie Raven and auntie Anya are two girls who kiss.” She points at her mothers. “Mommy kisses mama.”

Lily is confused. She has seen her mommies kiss, and she has seen auntie Anya and auntie Raven kiss. Sometimes she sees Monty and Miller kiss. She thought that maybe girls kiss girls, and boys kiss boys. If that is so, then why does uncle Aden kiss a girl and not a boy?

Clarke and Lexa look at each other. They both know those type of questions would be asked eventually.

“I think girls can kiss girls or boys, and boys can kiss boys or girls.” Aqua says with some deep thought. “Right, mama?” She looks at Lexa.

Lexa nods. “Yes, Aqua, that’s right.”

“Does Emily have a daddy because Octavia likes kissing boys?” Skye asks. Her eyes are full of wonder.

Clarke chuckles a bit. “Yes.” It feels like an easy way to explain it.

“If I like someone should I kiss them?” Lily asks.

Clarke eyes her daughter curiously. “Do you like someone, Lily?”

“Hunter is a nice boy.” Lily replies. “He always gives Hope flowers.”

Blue knits his eyebrows. “If I kiss a girl, will I have a baby?”

Lexa shakes her head. “That is not what happens when you kiss.” If that were the case she’d have a million children with Clarke by now.

River tilts his chin up to look at his mothers. “How do people get babies?”

“Oh, my, it’s already getting dark.” Clarke replies with a high pitched voice. She pretends to yawn a bit. “Mommy is tired. We should all get some rest.”

Lexa feels like her nerves are getting nerves. She does not want to explain to her children how someone can get a baby. It was awkward enough when Anya explained it to her when she was eighteen, when they discovered Octavia was pregnant. The explanation was too explicit and there’s no way she’s going to share that with her children. It would give them nightmares, it sure gave her some. Maybe when they are older, Anya can explain it to them. Or maybe Echo will explain it.

Jake and Gustus are laughing while they watch the scene unfold.

“Emily told me she was in Octavia’s tummy, like Ophelia was in Echo’s tummy.” Aqua says.

Skye holds her hand against Clarke’s stomach. “Was I in your tummy, mommy or in mama’s tummy?”

“Do you have to eat a baby to get a baby in your tummy?” Lily asks.

Clarke looks at Lexa with pained eyes. They had talked about it before and never told the children they are adopted. Their six children are theirs, they always will be. They are concerned they will hurt their feelings if they hear that they are adopted. When they are older they will know, but right now they don’t want to explain that yet.

“Hey kiddos, I made some hot chocolate milk.” Jake says, while approaching them. “Who wants some?”

The children jump up excitedly. “Me, me, me!” They shout.

Clarke mouths a silent ‘thank you’ to her dad. Her children are young and curious. They are seeking knowledge.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke cuddles with her wife in their cabin. It feels nice to have their own space. The children had finally stopped bickering about who would sleep in which cabin and with who.

“Our children are curious.” Lexa whispers. “They have many questions.”

Clarke sighs. “Yeah, they’re very curious. I can’t answer all the questions they ask. They’re so young.”

“Being a mother is not always easy. Our children are bright, eager to learn. It is up to us to grant them knowledge.”

“Yeah Lexa, you’re right, but I thought we’d still have some years left to answer the questions they’ve been asking.”

“I thought the same.”

Clarke rolls around to look at her wife. She props herself up on her elbow. “When we were younger, we didn’t have all those questions. It took us a lot longer to wonder about those things.”

“We did not have adults on our island when we were children, Clarke.”

“Yeah, I see what you mean. Our children see how we are and how the other adults are. We didn’t have any adults to look at and to study.”

“Perhaps I can assign someone to teach the children those things.”

“That’s a good idea, who do you have in mind?”

Lexa bites her bottom lip and tries not to look guilty. “Our healers.” She replies.

Clarke pushes her wife. “You know I’m one of the healers!” She groans. “You could pick Echo for that or something.”

Lexa sees a grin appearing on her wife’s face. “You have someone in your mind.”

Clarke nods and her grin gets bigger.

“Care to elaborate, Clarke?”

“I’m thinking that Raven should teach the children about that. She won’t get embarrassed. Things like that are like a second nature to her.”

“You cannot be serious, Clarke.”

“I’m serious, Lexa. Think about it, Raven wouldn’t mind.”

“The children might.” Lexa replies coolly. “I do not wish for them to have nightmares.”

“Raven is not so bad.”

Lexa grasps her wife’s wrists and her eyes widen. “Not bad? Have you forgotten about that time where Raven told us about that new trick of her? I do not need to know what Raven does to my sister.”

Clarke laughs loudly. Yeah, she remembers that. It was bad, but her wife’s reaction back then was hilarious. Raven doesn’t know when to shut her mouth sometimes. Anya turned beet red that day, while Lexa nearly choked on the berries she was trying to eat. Octavia gasped and was all like ‘that’s a thing?’ before she looked at Lincoln and told him he’d have to try that, which was another thing Lexa really didn’t want to hear.

“It is not funny, Clarke!” Lexa groans. “I did not sleep for two days after that!”

“Okay fine.” Clarke surrenders. “I got an idea. How about I make you a deal?”

“I am listening.”

Clarke licks her lips. “Okay well, we’ll have to teach our children about babies, female things for our daughters, about uh… you know and also about the fact that they are adopted. Then of course their questions about girls liking girls and boys liking boys, those sort of things.”

“What type of deal do you suggest, Clarke?”

“I’ll uh teach our daughters the little female things they need to know, and I’ll explain the whole lesbian, gay, bisexual and so on things.” Clarke looks at her wife. “You will teach the children about babies and about adoption. That’s the deal I’m offering you.”

“I have a feeling that no matter which deal you offer, you want me to inform them about adoption.”

Clarke gives her wife her best puppy eyes she has. “Please?”

Lexa sighs. She should have known. Of course her wife can ask her to adopt six children, but not want to be the one to inform the children about adoption. And the whole baby thing? Why should she explain that? Clarke is a healer. Her wife helped Echo when she got Ophelia.

Lexa nods. She will give her wife what she wants.

Clarke smiles and kisses her wife. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Clarke.”

“I’m wondering about something.” Clarke admits.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Lexa props herself up on her elbow, so her eyes stare directly into Clarke’s.

Clarke bites her lip. “I wonder what it would be like to be pregnant.” She takes a deep breath. “Look, I know we have six children, but I think it is something I’d wish to experience.”

Lexa caresses her wife’s cheek. Yes, they have six children. At the same time she doesn’t want to take this away from Clarke. She vowed to herself that she would do anything to make her wife happy. If Clarke really wants this, then how can she say no?

“Are you certain?” Lexa asks.

Clarke nods. She knows that once she is pregnant, there is no way to undo that. When Echo was pregnant and when Octavia was pregnant, she had seen them walking around, getting bigger. She saw the way their daughters gripped one of their mother’s fingers with their entire tiny hand. That is something she wants too.

Lexa cups her wife’s cheeks. “I would love to give you anything you want. However, as a female, I cannot make you pregnant. I am sorry.” She hopes Clarke won’t suggest letting her be with a man for that.

“I know.” Clarke sighs. “But I’ve read books and there are ways. My mom is a doctor, she’ll know how. It’s something at the hospital, I think.”

Lexa feels relief washing over her. As long as it doesn’t involve her wife having to cheat on her, she’s fine with it. How Abby will take that news is a different case. She hasn’t forgotten how Abby fainted when she knew they had adopted five children. When they adopted a sixth, Abby didn’t say much, but she did look a bit pale. Now Clarke wants a seventh child to experience being pregnant.

“I look forward to see your mother once we arrive.” Lexa says with an amused look on her face.

Clarke gulps. “Uh yeah… me too. It’ll be fine, it’s not her decision anyway. So uh… you’re saying yes?” She asks with hopeful eyes.

Lexa crashes their lips together and kisses her wife passionately. She knows this is all the answer she has to give to let Clarke know that her answer is yes.

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia is sitting around that campfire with the drifters. She misses Lexa and Clarke. They’re two of her best friends. She misses the children too. They often play with Emily, and now that won’t happen for a few weeks, though her daughter still has other friends to play with. She often sees Emily hanging around with Kai.

Raven sits down next to Octavia with her wife. “How does it feel to be the boss?” She smirks.

“Pretty good.”

“Kai and Emily will be able to train more, and make more progress while Lexa and Clarke are on a vacation with their kids.” Raven says. “Our kids are totally going to defeat theirs in that conclave.”

“You do know only one can win the conclave right?” Anya pitches in. “Besides, the conclave is five years from now, so the children still have five years left to train.”

“Kai is going to win.” Raven says with determination in her voice. “He’s really good, I mean come on he’s the youngest warrior and the only child who is acknowledged as a warrior.”

“Emily is good too.” Octavia defends her daughter. “I’m sure she’ll be a warrior someday too.”

“I think Kai and Emily are both talented.” Anya hums. “They both have impressive skills.”

“In five years from now we’ll know who wins that conclave.” Octavia whispers. “A lot can happen in five years from now. Other children are training too.”

“Some of those tests are going to be rough.” Raven whispers, making sure nobody else can hear them.

Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia and Aden are the only ones who know which tests will take place five years from now, after the conclave. They did inform the drifters roughly about the conclave and mentioned that others skills will be tested too. They didn’t really give more information than that. The children know they’ll have to fight if they want to participate in the conclave five years from now. They also know there are others tests, but they don’t have any details. Lexa and her special elite team decided it would only be revealed after the conclave.

“The conclave will be rough.” Octavia whispers. “If ten children decide to team up against one, they’re allowed to do so, because they will all be fighting each other at once. The only rule is that they can’t kill each other. Aside from that they can do anything, like bruise each other, make each other bleed, break each other’s bones and so on.”

Raven smirks. “I doubt they would break each other’s bones. That sounds really rough and more like something enemies would do.” She can’t imagine her son wanting to break bones of the other children.

“Lexa would lose her mind if any of her children would break anything in that conclave.” Anya whispers. “You know how protective she is.”

Raven hums in agreement. “Yeah, she’d definitely snap.” She laughs a little. “I remember that day where she chased a kid all across our island because he made Blue’s nose bleed.”

Octavia crosses her arms. “You know what Lexa always says.” She clears her throat and tries to mimic Lexa. “Attack my family and you attack me.”

“It was funny how that kid climbed up a tree, trying to escape Lexa.” Raven snorts. “What made it even funnier was how she asked Kai to climb up that same tree to let the kid know she was not going to harm him.”

“She did make him run five laps around our island.” Anya adds. “Only because Blue’s nose was bleeding, from a punch that kid gave him when they battled.”

“At least Lexa keeps teaching everyone a lesson that her children are not to be touched.” Octavia defends Lexa. “Plus you know she does the same for us and our children.”

Raven nudges Octavia. “Now that you’re in charge… Can I blow up one of the spare huts tomorrow? It’s for educational purposes and I’ll help the other drifters to build a new one afterwards.”

Octavia looks Raven dead in the eye. “How about no.”

“Come on, O, I’m your best friend.”

“You are one of my best friends, but the answer is still no.”

“It’s pure educational.” Raven says with a serious tone. “Come on.”

Octavia shakes her head. “You already blew a spare hut up once, and Lexa is still not happy about that. There is no way I’m going to let you blow up another while I’m in charge.” Lexa would not be proud if she’d let Raven do that.

“Lexa doesn’t have to know. I’ll blow one up and then we can build a new one.”

“I can see where Kai gets his sneakiness from.” Octavia laughs. “No, Raven.”

Anya grasps Raven’s arm and pulls her away. “You heard Octavia, she said no.”

“So now you’re gonna drag me away?” Raven gasps.

“I could ask Aden to help.” Anya replies.

Raven groans. Why did Lexa have to leave Octavia in charge and assign Anya and Aden to assist her? She’s not even allowed to blow a spare hut up. It’s only one small thing, just one hut, one tiny explosion. There haven’t been any enemies anymore to blow up. She wants to have some fun.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa and Clarke are up early. It has been difficult for them to sleep. They talked more about how they will explain things to their children, and about Clarke wanting to experience being pregnant.

“Good morning.” Aqua says with a smile as she approaches her mommies.

“Good morning, Aqua.” Lexa replies.

Clarke hugs her daughter. “Good morning sweetie, did you sleep well?”

“Yes, mommy.”

Blue and River run up to their mothers for a hug.

“Good morning, boys.” Clarke smiles and ruffles their hair. “Did you two sleep well?”

“River threw his pillow at me.” Blue replies. “I threw it back though.”

“Oh did you now?”

“It was only to play, mommy.” River explains.

Hope steps closer to her mothers with the twins, who are holding her hands.

Lexa smiles at them. “Good morning, my little angels.” She opens her arms to hug them.

“Sit down with us.” Clarke whispers. “Your mama and I want to talk about something.”

The children sit down in a circle and look at their parents.

Lexa takes a few deep breaths. She hasn’t really prepared for this. What if she fails? What if the children get upset? She knows she wanted them when she agreed to adopt them, but what if they don’t want her? Oh god, she might mess this all up and then Clarke will be upset too.

Clarke takes her wife’s hand, squeezes gently and gives Lexa a reassuring smile.

Lexa looks at her children. “Sometimes children do not have any mommies or daddies.” She tries to keep her voice steady and soft. “When children do not have any parents, someone can adopt them.”

“What does adopt mean?” Skye asks.

“Why are there children without parents?” Lily asks.

Lexa stares into their eyes. “You know how at home some children do not have any parents?” She waits for her children to nod. When they do, she goes on. “When children do not have parents, it means that they lost their parents.”

“Oh I understand, mama.” Aqua replies. “When there are bad people who do bad things, mommies and daddies can be gone.”

Lexa nods. “Yes, that can happen. The children who do not have any parents are called orphans.”

“I heard about orphans!” Blue shrieks, happy to know something. “Some drifters said our home is orphan island.”

Lexa nods. “Some people call our home that, because we accept orphans.” She takes a deep breath. The toughest part is yet to come. “Orphans can be adopted. That means that someone wants them as their child, so they adopt them.”

River looks puzzled. “Does that mean nobody wants the orphans we have at home?”

Clarke swallows thickly and decides to help her wife out. “No, it doesn’t mean nobody wants them. At home we have many orphans. Everyone at home takes care of them, even when they don’t adopt them. The drifters are like a big family.”

“None of you has been…” Lexa tries to stay calm. “None of you were in my tummy, nor in mommy’s tummy.”

“What does that mean, mama?” Hope asks. “Are we not…? Oh…” Realization settles on her face.

“We adopted you all.” Lexa admits. “We want you all to know how much we love you.” She feels tears welling up.

“No matter what anyone says, all of you will always be our children.” Clarke whispers with a broken voice. “We love you, we always will.”

“I don’t remember my parents.” Aqua sighs.

Hope stands up and hugs her mothers. “Don’t cry.” She kisses Clarke’s cheek. “I love you, mommy.” She kisses Lexa’s cheek. “I love you, mama.”

Hope doesn’t mind that she is adopted. Her mommies are the only parents she has ever known. She loves them and she knows they love her. They’re the best mommies she could ever ask for. She will always be their daughter.

Skye and Lily stand up to hug their mothers. They’re not upset. They’re happy their mommies wanted them.

River looks at Skye and Lily with a jealous feeling. He knows they are twins and that they have a special connection. It feels weird for him to know that his siblings are not his real siblings. Only Skye and Lily are true siblings of each other.

Clarke and Lexa take their time to hug their children and to tell them a million times how much they love them, and that they will always be their children, no matter what.

 

* * *

 

 

Harper is dancing with Monroe around the campfire, along with some others who are dancing.

Octavia furrows her eyebrows in confusion. “Why are you all dancing so early?”

Harper laughs and looks at Octavia. “Jasper and Monty spiked the cranberry juice.” She replies.

“They did what?” Octavia asks.

“It’s no big deal.” Jasper says. “We haven’t given any to the children, no worries.”

“What did you do to the cranberry juice?” Octavia wants a clear answer.

Monty shuffles on his feet and looks down at the sand. “We uh… poured alcohol in it.”

Octavia’s eyes widen. “You mean that strange stuff that makes everyone light-headed?”

Jasper and Monty nod, looking guilty.

Octavia groans. “Can you two ever behave?”

“I tried to tell them it was a bad idea.” Miller says. “They didn’t listen.”

Monty gives his husband a sly smile. He knows Miller isn’t a fan of the ideas he has with Jasper.

Harper takes Octavia’s wrist. “Come dance with us, it’ll be fun.” She smiles brightly.

Octavia feels herself being pressed between Harper and Monroe.

“Party!” Raven shouts. She grabs a cup and empties it all at once.

Anya snakes her arms around her wife and places sloppy kisses in her neck.

Raven proudly grins while the boombox she had been tinkering with plays music.

Indra, Lincoln and Aden take it upon themselves to go to the river with the children while the other adults… party.

Raven swings her arms around Octavia and Harper. “Mind if I join ya?” She smirks at them.

Anya trials after her wife to keep her in check at least a bit.

After a few cups of the spiked cranberry juice, there is a fuzzy feeling in their head.

“What is loveee, baby don’t hurt me.” Raven blurts out along with the music.

“Lexa would go nuts if she’d see us.” Anya mumbles.

Raven winks at her wife. “Good thing that Lexa isn’t here.” She nudges Anya. “Come on babe, relax.”

The music keeps playing.

Jasper, Monty, Harper and Monroe jump up and down as they sing along with the lyrics of a song.

_I got a feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night_

_That tonight's gonna be a good night_

_That tonight's gonna be a good, good night_

Octavia snorts at how ridiculous it sounds, because it’s not even night. It’s the middle of the day and they’re all dancing. Even the children have joined them by now. Of course nobody lets the children touch the special cranberry juice.

Raven pretty much screams along with the lyrics.

_Fill up my cup_

_Mazel Tov_

_Look at her dancing_

_Just take it off_

Anya sees her wife winking at her and she shakes her head. She’s not going to take anything off, not until they’re in their hut.

_Let's paint the town_

_We'll shut it down_

_Let's burn the roof_

_And then we'll do it again_

_Let's do it, let's do it,_

_Let's do it,_

_Let's do it, and do it, and do it,_

_Let's live it up_

_And do it, and do it, and do it, do it, do it,_

_Let's do it,_

_Let's do it,_

_Let's do it_

Anya has a feeling her wife wants to blow up a hut, rather than merely burning the roof. She’ll have to keep a close eye on her.

Octavia picks Emily up and bounces her on her hip to dance.

Emily giggles happily and smiles at her mother. She doesn’t know what got her mother to act so silly, but she likes it.

“We should do bodyshots!” Monroe shouts.

“What is that?” Octavia asks curiously.

Monroe chuckles at her innocence. “I’ll show you.” She grasps her wife.

Harper complies and lies down onto the sand.

Monroe clumsily places a cup on her wife’s body, near her cleavage.

The other drifters watch as Monroe shows it to them. Bellamy already knew what it was. For the others it’s new. Harper, Monroe and Bellamy grew up in civilization and they were adults when they came to the island and became drifters.

Bellamy never planned to stay, not at first. Then he met Echo and that changed many things. He’s happy on this island. He has his wife, Echo. Then there’s his daughter, Ophelia. It also gives him a chance to spend time with his younger sister, Octavia.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa takes some shoes and sets them down in front of her children. She already has a pair of shoes on. It feels strange, but she knows she has to. They all have to. They’re arriving at civilization. She’s wearing black boots, which allow her to tuck her daggers away.

Clarke stands next to her wife, wiggling her feet a bit in the shoes she’s wearing. The sport shoes she has on are somewhat comfortable, but it feels odd. She knows it is necessary to walk to her mom’s place. The streets are not so great without shoes.

The children stare at the shoes. Their mothers had already explained they’d have to wear them once they’d arrive at civilization.

Lexa points at all the shoes on the deck of her father’s ship. “Try them on and see which ones fit you.”

Blue tries on a few pairs before finding shoes that seem to fit him will. He makes quick work of tying them. His auntie Raven had taught him how to tie rope, which helps him to tie his shoes. He grabs his dagger and tugs it in his waistband.

Skye and Lily select Velcro shoes. They’re pink and they look the least annoying to them.

River and Aqua go with slippers. They wiggle their toes at the piece that is in between their toes.

Hope settles for a pair of white sandals.

Jake and Gustus are relieved to see that the children all found fitting shoes. They made sure they have plenty on board, so they’d have a choice. They watch cautiously as the children tuck their daggers underneath their clothes.

Clarke is a bit wary about letting her children have weapons, but Lexa insisted they should be allowed to have some, so they can defend themselves if needed. She hopes her mother won’t argue about it.

Gustus and Jake help the children to carry their suitcases.

“Stay close, children.” Lexa warns. “This place is a lot different than our home.”

The children follow their mothers and their grandfathers. They look amazed at everything they see. Their mothers had talked a bit about what civilization is like, but actually seeing it is entirely different. It’s like they’re in a whole different world.

Hope stares at the weird objects that pass by on the streets. Her grandfather Jake told her those are cars. It is strange for her to see people sitting in those cars. Maybe it is because there is no water on the streets, so they can’t use a ship. She wonders why they don’t walk. One of the first things she notices is how loud civilization is. It’s almost agonizing.

Skye and Lily hold each other’s hand. They were dragging their suitcase along at first, but grandfather Gustus took it from them to carry it.

Aqua and Blue have vague memories of civilization. They were only three years old when they visited Abby before. Now they’re eight. It’s louder than they remember.

River keeps his eyes open and his hand close to his dagger, in case he would need it. He doesn’t trust all the strangers that are walking around. There are so many unknown faces.

Clarke links her arm with her wife. She shifts her eyes between Lexa and their children. She wants to make sure they all keep up and not trial behind.

Lexa kisses her wife’s cheek and tries to take her suitcase from her.

“I got it.” Clarke assures her wife as she swats her hand away. “You’re already carrying a suitcase.”

“I would not mind carrying two.”

“I know.” Clarke smiles. “You’re such a show off.”

“What can I say, Clarke? There are certain things I like to show you.”

Clarke hums and leans closer to her wife to whisper in her ear. “Care to show some of those things once we get a room?”

Lexa blushes a bit and nods.

Clarke revels in their extended privacy they have gotten lately. At home the children no longer sleep in their hut. The children have their own hut, since they’re a bit older now. While they were sailing on board of Gustus’ ship, they had their own cabin. Now at her mother’s place, she’s sure she’ll have her own room to share with her wife.

Lexa loves her wife a lot. Clarke is perfect. They have been together for thirteen years, from which they have been married for seven years. She’s never been with anyone else, and there’s no way she can ever imagine herself with anyone else. Clarke is her whole life, her heart and her soul. If it would be up to her, she’d marry her wife over and over again.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hi honey, I’m so happy to see you.” Abby smiles widely and hugs Clarke.

“It’s good to see you too, mom.” Clarke replies.

Abby lets go and looks at her grandchildren. She kneels down and opens her arms. “I’m so happy to see you all.”

The children hug their grandmother, nearly making her fall with the way they stumble into her arms.

“You’re all getting so big.” Abby comments. She turns to look at her husband. “They’re growing up so fast.”

Kane approaches and ruffles the children’s hair. “They sure are.” He agrees.

“Please, come in.” Abby says. She steps aside to let them walk in.

“Can we take our shoes off now?” Aqua asks.

“Sure, honey.” Abby replies.

That’s something Abby doesn’t need to say twice. The children kick their shoes off before anyone can say another word.

Kane helps Gustus and Jake with the suitcases.

Once the suitcases are all upstairs, Gustus and Jake leave. They made arrangements with Abby and Kane to give them a call once they can pick Lexa, Clarke and their grandchildren up to take them home.

Abby places some glasses on her kitchen table. “I have some cranberry juice in the fridge.” She looks at her grandchildren. “Would any of you like some?”

The children nod and smile.

Abby pours them some cranberry juice. Her grandchildren politely thank her. She has to reprimand her daughter and Lexa for raising their children so well.

Lexa smiles at Abby. “Thank you, Abby. This is considerate of you.” She appreciates Abby’s effort for having cranberry juice.

“You’re welcome, honey.” Abby replies. “We prepared three bedrooms.”

“Good, so that means one room for my wife and I, and two rooms for our children.” Clarke replies.

Lexa sees that her children are already preparing themselves to bicker about who will sleep where. She won’t have any of that, not again. She holds her hands up to silence them.

“Skye, Lily and Hope will share a room.” Lexa announces. “River, Blue and Aqua will share another room.”

The twins give each other a high five. They’re happy to share with Hope.

Lexa and Clarke go to their room, to unpack their suitcases, leaving their children downstairs for a moment with Abby and Kane.

“When would you like to tell you mother?” Lexa asks.

Clarke shrugs. “Soon, I think.” She sighs. “We just got here, so I don’t know, maybe tonight or something, or tomorrow.”

“You are worried.”

“Yes.” Clarke admits. “I don’t know how she’ll react. It makes me nervous.”

Lexa squeezes her wife’s hand. “I am right here with you, Clarke. I will support you no matter what.”

Clarke kisses her wife. “You’re the best, Lexa.”

“I love you too, Clarke.” Lexa smiles and kisses her wife back.

“I hope my mom won’t freak out about me wanting to get pregnant.”

Lexa shrugs. “After six grandchildren, would she really mind a seventh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clexa really likes children. All they have to do now is tell Abby :)


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke tells her mom about wanting to get pregnant. Abby's jaw is not the only thing that drops.

“Ow, my head hurts.” Octavia groans and rubs her temples. “I drank too much.”

Aden points at Octavia and smiles a little. “This is why I do not drink anything that is spiked.”

“Yeah sure, laugh now.” Octavia grumbles. “Tomorrow you can go spear fish all day long.”

“As you wish.”

“Go get Echo for me, ask her if she has something for this headache.” Octavia orders.

Aden nods and stands up.

Raven laughs and nudges Octavia. “You’re not used to drinking, O.”

“And you are?”

“Nah, but at least it doesn’t go to my head so fast.” Raven replies dryly. “Two cups are already enough to give you a headache. I’ve seen you drinking like ten of them or something. Kinda lost count after the fifth.”

“You shouldn’t watch what I do like that. Besides, you had like what? Fifteen cups?”

“I’m not the one groaning about a headache.” Raven muses. “I feel a little buzz, that’s it.”

“Lexa would kill me.”

“Kill her favorite warrior? Nah, she wouldn’t.”

“I’m not her favorite.” Octavia mutters. “Pretty sure that spot is Clarke's.”

Raven waves her hand. “Okay, fine you’re not her favorite warrior, but you are her best warrior.”

“Lexa would totally kick my ass if she knew we’ve been partying like this.” Octavia points at all the empty cups on the sand. “I’m supposed to be leading the drifters, not party all day long.”

“It would be hot to see Lexa kicks your ass.” Raven smirks. “I’d give fifty coconuts to see that.”

“Gee thanks, you’re such an awesome friend.”

Raven pushes Octavia. “Shut up, you know you love me.”

“We should clean this mess up.” Anya says, pointing at the empty cups. “Littering is not cool.”

Octavia nods and pushes Raven down onto the sand.

“What the fuck, O?” Raven looks at Octavia.

“You will clean up the cups.” Octavia orders. She hears Harper, Monroe, Jasper and Monty laughing. She looks at them. “Oh and the four of you will help.” Their laughter quickly fades after that.

Aden approaches Octavia with water and some medicine. “Echo said this would help.” He holds the medicine out. “You have to take this first and then drink the water.”

“Thanks.” Octavia mumbles. She takes the medicine and the water.

Jasper grabs a plastic bag to collect the plastic cups. He swings the plastic bag over his shoulder and sings.

_Hi ho hi ho, it’s off to work we go!_

Monty, Harper and Monroe whistle and sing along. Harper taught it to Jasper and Monty, from a movie she had seen.

Miller picks up some cups to help.

“We should totes do the cup song!” Monroe shouts. “We got so many cups.”

“What is the cup song?” Jasper asks bewildered.

Monroe feels curious eyes on her. She grins at her wife. “It’s some song you can do with cups.”

“Yeah thanks genius, that wasn’t clear yet when you said cup song.” Jasper replies with an eye-roll. “I mean, how does the song go?”

Harper and Monroe sit down on the sand and grab some cups to show it.

Octavia crosses her arms. “That’s not really cleaning up now is it?” She feels a cup hitting her head. “Ow what the fuck?! I have a headache!”

Anya picks the cup up and tosses it at Jasper’s head who had previously thrown it at Octavia. “Throw things at her again and I will punch you.” She snarls.

“Woah chill.” Jasper holds his hands up. “It’s not an attack or anything.”

“Octavia is in charge and you will respect her.”

“Okay so this is how the cup song goes.” Harper says out loud. She nods at her wife.

The drifters watch and listen as Harper and Monroe perform the cup song to them.

Jasper and Monty try to do the same, but they’re failing miserable.

“You’re missing the beat.” Harper corrects. “No, no, you got it all wrong.”

Octavia holds her hands up. “I’m going to count to ten and when I reach ten, I don’t want to see a single cup onto the sand anymore.”

The drifters watch as Octavia holds her hands up and begins to count to ten. The look Octavia gives them is enough to quickly pick the cups up from the sand and collect them in a plastic bag.

“Seven, eight, nine…” Octavia counts.

Jasper is carrying the plastic bag with all the cups. It rips open, making all the cups drop onto the sand again.

“Ten.” Octavia looks down. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“It’s not my fault!” Jasper tries to defend himself. “The bag ripped.”

Anya steps forward. “I’ll rip you.”

“Oh my god, she’s going to kill me!” Jasper shouts and runs off.

Octavia laughs and gives Anya a high five. “I hope that will make him behave for a while.”

Anya shrugs. “I wouldn’t count on that, but I can always scare him again.”

“You’re evil, I like it.”

Anya sticks her hand out. “Hi, I’m Anya Evil Woods.”

Octavia shakes her hand. “Hi, I’m Octavia Blake, your biggest fan.”

Raven wiggles herself in between them. “And I’m Raven Reyes, ready to vomit.”

Anya wraps Raven in her arms. “You’re such a lovely wife.”

Raven turns around so she can face Anya. She kisses her roughly and winks at her.

 

* * *

 

 

“Clarke, help me.” Lexa shrieks. “Our children are attacking me.”

Clarke turns around. Her wife is on their bed while their children are jumping on it and hugging Lexa. It’s adorable to see.

“Nah, I think you’re good over there.”

“Clarke, six against one is not good.”

Clarke shrugs and watches from the corner of the room. She leans against the door, waiting for the outcome.

“Then I will have no choice.” Lexa says with a stern voice. She lifts her arms up and bends her fingers a little. “The tickle monster is going to get you all!”

“Mommy, help!” Aqua shrieks, trying to stop giggling.

“Oh how the tables have turned.” Lexa whispers in a high pitched tone.

Clarke runs over to the bed and tickles her wife.

“I see how it is.” Lexa pouts. “You would not help me, but you do help our children.”

“There’s no way I can say no to them.” Clarke replies.

Lexa wraps her arms around her wife and playfully bites her neck.

Their children jump on the bed around them.

“No more jumping on the bed.” Clarke warns. “Your grandmother is not going to like this.”

Lexa picks Lily up. She holds Lily’s hand and carefully pushes her up with her feet.

“I can fly!” Lily yells.

Clarke looks at her children and then at her wife. “Oh now you’ve done it, Lexa.” She sees the looks on their faces.

“I want to fly too!” Skye demands.

“Me too!” Aqua adds.

River pokes Clarke. “I want to fly too.”

“Me too!” Blue shouts.

Hope smiles sheepishly. “Please?” She asks with her tiny fragile voice.

“Alright children, one at a time.” Clarke chuckles. “You can all fly, just not all at once.”

Blue nudges Skye. “I will make you fly.” He lies down on his back and holds his hands out and puts his feet up.

“Careful, children.” Lexa warns.

Skye clumsily takes Blue’s hands and places herself on his feet. It doesn’t go so well and Skye falls down on top of him. They both laugh about it.

Lexa rolls her eyes. She told them to be careful. Okay at least they didn’t fall off the bed… yet. Knowing her children, that wouldn’t take long if they’d go on with this. It’s probably her fault, she showed them this.

Clarke claps her hands. “Time to go put your pajamas on and to go to your bed.”

“But mommy, I want to fly more.” Skye says with a pout.

“There will be another day tomorrow.” Clarke replies.

Skye grabs Lily’s and Hope’s hand. She pouts while she leaves the room with them.

Aqua stands up. “Follow me, brothers.” She runs towards the door.

Blue and River run after her.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke pushes her wife down onto the bed. “It looks like we’re alone now.” She leans closer until her face is only a few inches away from Lexa’s.

“It appears so.” A small smile tugs at her lips. She grabs her wife’s hands and presses her feet against Clarke’s hips. Gently, but with a lot of strength, she lifts her wife up in the air.

“This whole flying thing is great, but I’d like to go down now.”

Lexa licks her lips. “Okay, you may go down.”

Clarke gasps. “Lexa, that’s not…Okay, maybe a little, okay yes, but that’s not…”

Lexa lowers her wife and kisses her. She looks at Clarke and waits for her to nod. When she receives the nod that her wife always gives her, she grasps the hem of Clarke’s shirt and slowly lifts it up, pulling it over her head and tossing it on the floor next to the bed. Her eyes rake over her wife’s body. Every curve on Clarke’s body is gorgeous. Nobody can hold a candle to her wife.

Clarke’s cheeks turn slightly pink, seeing the way her wife is looking at her, which so much admiration and lust. Lexa’s eyes are enough to make her arousal grow. She slides her hands under her wife’s shirt and looks up at her. When their eyes lock, she sees Lexa giving her a short nod.

They always nod at each other, always silently giving their consent. Despite all the years they have been together, they will always value the importance of consent. Neither one of them would proceed without consent.  

Clarke helps her wife to sit up a bit, so she can take Lexa’s shirt off. She slides her hands behind her wife’s back and unclasps her bra, tossing it on the floor next to their shirts.

Lexa reaches her hands up and unclasps her wife’s bra. She gulps audibly and bites her lip.

Clarke leans down the whisper against her wife’s lips. “Don’t bite your lip.” She hums. “I want to bite your lip for you.”

Lexa snakes one hand in the crook of her wife’s neck and places her other hand in the small of Clarke’s back. She flushes their bodies together and allows their lips to crash. She hears her wife moan in their kiss.

Clarke moves her attention to her wife’s neck, leaving a trial of wet kisses. She gently grazes her teeth over Lexa’s skin, eliciting a moan from her wife, which sends electricity through her body. She kisses up to Lexa’s ear, nibbling her earlobe.

In the most sultry and husky voice she can muster, Clarke whispers in her wife’s ear. “Tell me what you want.”

Lexa lets out a shaky breath. “I want you, Clarke.”

Clarke lowers her voice an octave. “Tell me how you want me.”

“Clarke, please.” Lexa silently begs. Her wife’s voice would be enough to send her over the edge.

Clarke glides one hand down and stops above her wife’s waistband. “Tell me.” She slips one finger under Lexa’s waistband. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

Lexa roughly flips her wife over. She straddles Clarke’s hips. Her hands cup her wife’s breasts.

“Fuck, Lexa…” Clarke closes her eyes and bites her bottom lip. “Please.”

“Please, what?” Lexa muses. The roles have been reversed now. She has Clarke right where she wants her.

Clarke opens her eyes and bores them into Lexa’s. “Please, take me.” Her breaths are uneven.

Lexa kisses her wife. “What do you want me to do?”

Clarke knows exactly what to say. She knows what will drive her wife crazy. “Anything you want, _commander_.”

Lexa pins her wife’s hands above her head. She leans down and bites her neck. Hearing her wife say her title with such a sultry voice makes her want to sin, a lot.

Clarke frees one of her hands so she can unbutton her pants. She doesn’t get the chance because her wife swats her hand away. “Please, Lexa.” She groans.

Lexa complies and unbuttons her wife’s pants. She slides Clarke’s pants down, very slowly. She places one of her knees between her wife’s thighs.

Clarke jerks her hips upwards, pushing herself more firmly against her wife’s knee.

Lexa leaves a trial of butterfly kisses all across her wife’s chest. She enjoys the way Clarke is humming.

A while later they’re both spent and fall down onto the mattress next to each other. 

Lexa strokes her wife’s hair and listens to her even breaths. She can feel Clarke’s heart beating against hers.

Clarke plays with a lock of her wife’s hair. “I was thinking if we get up early in the morning we can talk to my mom about me wanting to get pregnant.”

“If that is what you wish, Clarke.” Lexa kisses her wife. “Then that is what we shall do.”

“I hope she doesn’t faint.”

Lexa chuckles. “She may stop breathing this time.”

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia is relieved her headache has subsided. She woke up early and she feels refreshed. The medicine she got from Echo helped. After yesterday, she might never drink like that again. It had taken a while to get all the plastic cups off the sand and to burn them all. Today she plans to run a tighter ship. The drifters are allowed to have some fun, but they already had a lot of fun yesterday. Today she has to make sure everyone contributes to do chores, to train and to learn.

“Well you’re up early.” Raven mumbles as she leaves her hut, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “How’s your head feeling?”

“It’s better, no more headache.”

Raven kisses Octavia’s cheek and grabs a bowl of berries. “I had a good sleep. You sleep okay?”

Octavia steals a berry from Raven’s bowl. “Yeah, I slept fine.” She holds her bowl out with slices of banana in it. “Want some?”

Raven takes a slice and puts it in her mouth.

“Got some for me?” Anya asks from behind them.

Octavia taps the spot next to her. “Yeah, sit down and I’ll give you some.”

“Sounds a lot like something I’d say.” Raven mocks.

Anya nudges her wife and settles down between her and Octavia.

Octavia hands Anya a bowl. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Anya mutters.

“Good morning, ladies.” Jasper approaches them with a big smile on his face. When he sees their disinterested looks, he quickly adds. “Or not.” He turns around. “I’ll go to Maya, see you ladies later.”

Raven looks at her wife. “You really did a number on him yesterday.”

“I only scared him a little, that’s all.”

“You’re so hot when you’re intimidating someone.” Raven cups Anya’s cheeks and kisses her. “So hot.”

Anya parts her lips and tangles her tongue around Raven’s.

Octavia groans. “You guys, I’m trying to eat breakfast here.”

Raven laughs. “Same, O, same.” She licks her lips. “Clearly bananas and a hint of berries.”

“I didn’t even eat any berries.” Anya comments. “You did though.”

Raven looks at Octavia and winks. “You want a taste too?”

Anya elbows her wife.

Octavia shakes her head. “No thanks, I’m good.”

“You say you’re good.” Raven replies. “Want to put that to the test?”

“Oh my god, can you stop flirting with Octavia?” Anya groans. “You’re my wife for fucks sakes.”

Raven laughs lightly. “Damn right I’m your wife.” She playfully pokes her wife. “I’m only teasing O, that’s all.”

Octavia shares a look with Anya and winks at her, while Raven isn’t paying attention to her. “Actually, on second thought, I do want to put that to the test.”

Raven’s jaw drops. “You what?”

“You offered, didn’t you?” Octavia raises her eyebrow. “I’m accepting your offer.”

“Octavia has a point.” Anya chimes in.

Raven glares at the two of them. She sees what’s going on. Two can play that game. She cups Octavia’s cheeks. “You ready for this?”

“Raven.” Anya warns. “Don’t.”

Octavia’s eyes widen. She didn’t think Raven would take it so far.

Raven leans in and kisses Octavia’s cheek. She pries Octavia’s lips open with her fingers and presses a berry in her mouth. “Good, right?”

“I will kill you.” Octavia whispers.

Anya grasps Octavia’s wrist and looks at her. “Can I kill her first?”

“We could kill her together.”

Anya nods. “Deal.”

“Woah hey.” Raven complains. “It’s a bit early for a threesome, don’t you think?”

 

* * *

 

 

Abby is sitting on a chair at her kitchen table, next to her husband, sipping some coffee when Clarke and Lexa walk in.

“Good morning, honey.” Abby smiles upon seeing her daughter. “And good morning, Lexa.”

“Good morning, girls.” Kane says, putting his mug down and looking at them.

“Morning, mom and Kane.” Clarke whispers.

“Good morning, Abby and Kane.” Lexa says politely.

Abby points at the chairs in front of her. “Take a seat.” She stands up. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Water for me.” Clarke replies.

“Water for me too, please.” Lexa says with a small smile.

Clarke and Lexa sit down.

When her mom sits down and places their glasses of water in front of them, Clarke takes a deep breath. “We want to talk to you, mom.” She looks at her mother. “It’s important.”

“Okay honey, what is it?”

Clarke takes her wife’s hand for comfort and support. “Just uh… hear me out before you freak out about it, okay?”

Abby feels concerned. “Okay honey, go on.”

Lexa nods at her wife, letting her know that she’s here for her.

“I want to know what it’s like to be pregnant, I want to experience it.” Clarke whispers. Her nerves are rushing through her body. “Lexa and I talked about it. We decided I will get pregnant. Mom, I know you’re a doctor and I’ve read certain things. There are ways for me to get pregnant, ways that have something to do with the hospital, right? I want your help and – mom, are you okay?”

Abby dropped her mug of coffee. It fell on her kitchen floor and shattered. She’s staring at Clarke. Her face is pale and she dropped her jaw.

Kane takes Abby’s hand and squeezes gently. “Abby?” He whispers.

Abby closes her mouth and continues to stare at Clarke.

Lexa wants to support her wife. “We know that we adopted six children, Abby. We are aware we have more children than most would have. Clarke truly wants this, and as her wife, I support her. My wife’s happiness is my happiness.”

“Are you both sure you want a seventh child?” Abby asks. “Seven is… a lot, really a lot.”

“Mom.” Clarke sighs deeply. “I really want this, I want to get pregnant. As my mother, try to be happy for me and support me.”

“Does your father know about this?”

Clarke shakes her head. “I haven’t told dad yet. You’re the first one Lexa and I told.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

Abby tries to smile. “I’ll help.”

Kane stands up to clean the coffee that spilled on the kitchen floor, and the shards of the mug.

“I’ll make a few phone calls to arrange everything.” Abby says. She stands up and leaves the kitchen. “Kane will get you some breakfast.”

“Would you two like some fruit?” Kane asks. “We have apples, berries, bananas, kiwis, peaches, oranges. Well, a lot of fruit really.”

“A bowl of berries and bananas would be nice.” Lexa replies.

“What would you like, Clarke?” Kane asks, looking at Clarke.

“Uh… same as Lexa.”

Clarke is relieved that her mother took the news so well. She’s relieved she didn’t faint or freak out. She did turn quite pale for a moment, and dropped her coffee, but that was all. Her mother is going to help and that’s good.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven is tinkering with her radios and other things, or toys as she’d like to call it, when her radio is crackling. She grabs her radio and tunes it in at the right frequency.

_“Hi Raven, it’s me, Clarke.”_

“Hey Clarke, how’s it going over there?”

_“It’s not bad, but we all miss our home.”_

“Yeah you must’ve been there for like… um.” Raven thinks about it for a second, minus the time they took to sail there. “A week?”

_“Six days.”_

“It’s good to hear your voice.”

_“How are things going at home? Oh and Lexa is sitting next to me by the way.”_

“Yeah I figured Lexa would be nearby. It’s going okay. O is being pretty uptight and Anya has given Jasper quite the scare.”

_“Haha, I can imagine. Are there any issues?”_

“Nah none, everything is great.”

_“You haven’t blown anything up, have you?”_

“I did blow Anya’s mind when I was showing her some tricks if you know what I’m saying.”

_“Raven, you are talking about my sister. I do not need to know such things.”_

Raven laughs. Clearly Lexa has taken over to talk.

“It’s all going good here, but we miss you two. I miss my babes.”

_“We are going to stay in civilization for a little while longer.”_

“Wait what? So you’re not going to sail back to us yet?”

Raven is surprised. Sailing there took them a week, sailing back will also take a week. They had planned to only stay there for about a week, so they’d be back after three weeks. Why on earth would they want to stay longer? Civilization is so weird.

_“No, not yet. We expect to be home four weeks from now.”_

“Whoa okay, I’ll um, I’ll let the others know.”

Raven rounds up the conversation and runs to go find Octavia.

Octavia is training the children when Raven runs up to her. “What’s up, Raven?”

“I had radio contact with Clarke and Lexa.” Raven replies. “They’re going to stay in civilization with Abby for a few more weeks.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah Lexa said they will be back in four weeks from now or something.”

Octavia tilts her head. “Did the say why they’re staying longer?” She knows they’re not a fan of civilization. Surely they would look forward to come home, no?

Raven shakes her head. “Beats me. They didn’t tell me why and I didn’t ask.”

Octavia nods. It looks like she’ll be in charge for four more weeks. It’s been two weeks so far. It’s been going well, aside from that party.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke is nervous when her mother takes her to the hospital. Lexa is with her, because her wife refused to let her go alone, even though she wouldn’t actually be alone. Kane is staying at Abby’s place to watch the children. Her mother arranged everything fast thanks to her good connections she has at the hospital.

Abby had tried to explain everything as well as she could on their way to the hospital. It wasn’t exactly easy to explain it all. Seeing the way Clarke and Lexa scrunched their noses up was a bit amusing. It’s not her specialty. There are doctors at the hospital where she works who do those procedures, and who will be able to explain it to Clarke and Lexa much better than she possibly can.

Clarke and Lexa stare at the white walls, the same white walls they have seen before when they were at this hospital when Octavia was having Emily.

Abby is filling in some forms for Clarke.

Clarke and Lexa follow Abby, along with another doctor.

Abby waits in the hall while the doctor guides Clarke and Lexa somewhere.

The doctor in the room is a male.

Clarke shakes her head and looks at her wife. She doesn’t want the doctor to be male. Not for this.

Lexa walks up to the doctor. “Out.” She orders with an icy voice.

The doctor looks confused. “What?”

Lexa clears her throat. “We want you out. My wife is not comfortable having you here.”

“Oh.” The doctor looks at Clarke and then back at Lexa. “I’m sorry, I should have asked.” He walks towards the door. “I’ll go get you another doctor.”

Lexa walks over to her wife and holds her hand. “Are you okay, Clarke?”

Clarke takes a deep breath and squeezes her wife’s hand. “Yeah I’m fine, just a bit nervous.”

A female doctor walks in. “Hello, I’ll be your doctor, if that’s okay with you both?” She asks politely.

Lexa looks at her wife. It’s Clarke’s call to make.

“That’s okay.” Clarke replies. She looks at her wife and nods.

The doctor hands Clarke a thin piece of clothing. She points at a dressing screen in the room. “You can put this on behind there.” She turns around. “Let me know when you are ready.”

Clarke walks behind the screen with her wife.

Lexa helps her wife to take her clothes off and to put the thin piece of clothing on.

Clarke steps away from the dressing screen and looks at the strange bed. She shuffles on top of the bed. She’s quite sure the doctor can hear her, but she doesn’t turn around.

“I’m ready.” Clarke says.

The doctor turns around and approaches Clarke.

During the procedure, Lexa holds Clarke’s hand. The doctor is very friendly and explains everything step by step, walking Clarke and Lexa through it.

Clarke hugs her mother when she walks out the room with her wife. “Thanks for helping us, mom.”

“I’m glad I was able to help, honey.”

“You have no idea how much this means to me.” Tears are rolling over Clarke’s cheeks.

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia, Aden and Anya are training the children. Here and there to have to correct their moves or tell them how to do it better.

“Octavia, I need to have a word with you.” Roan says, while running up to them with Ontari on his side. “It’s important.”

Octavia nods. She looks at Aden and Anya. “Keep training the children, I will be back soon.”

“Should one of us go with you?” Anya asks.

Octavia shakes her head and holds one hand up. “No, I got this.”

Anya keeps her eyes on Octavia as she follows Roan and Ontari.

Roan and Ontari stop walking when they’re far enough away from the others.

Octavia narrows her eyes and tilts her chin up. “Speak, Roan.”

“There are people on an island who are seeking an alliance with the drifters.” Roan replies. “I already gave them an alliance with me and my people, but they want an alliance with the drifters as well.”

“As far as I know, the drifters are in peace with everyone. We have an alliance with you Roan, and with your people. Who are the people on that island you speak of?”

“Their island is called Shallow Valley. The people on it call themselves the shadow people.” Roan looks at Octavia. “They want an alliance because they are aware of the reputation of the drifters. Word has traveled far and they know the drifters defeated and destroyed Mountain Island.”

Octavia licks her lips. “What is it that those shadow people seek from an alliance?”

“The shadow people are what people would call poor. They have few warriors and no healers. They want an alliance so they would be allowed to visit here and bring anyone who is sick and wounded, so one of the drifter's healers can heal them.” Roan crosses his arms. “In return for the alliance, they are willing to give the drifters a few of their strongest children, so they can grow up as drifters and perhaps become warriors.”

“What has bound their alliance with you?” Octavia asks. “You said you already have an alliance with them.”

Roan looks at Ontari and smiles. He looks back at Octavia. “The shadow people gave us Hunter. In return, I supply them with food. If an enemy would appear, my people will bind their forces with the shadow people.”

Octavia nods. “I see. If an enemy appears and they do not have an alliance with us, they would risk being wiped out, from what I gathered. Or am I wrong?”

Roan shakes his head. “You’re not wrong. If an enemy appears they can be wiped out if the drifters are not on their side.”

“Lexa left me in charge, but I don’t want to make this decision.” Octavia whispers. “I’ll radio her to hear what she says. If Lexa agrees, I will let you know and then we can have that alliance.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is sitting on the bed with her wife when Abby walks in. She rolls her eyes at the lack of privacy. How come people in civilization enter just like that? She’s quite sure her father informed her that in civilization people knock on the door when they seek entrance.

“I’m sorry to barge in like this.” Abby apologizes. She holds a radio in her hand. “Octavia is trying to contact you both, well mostly Lexa.”

Lexa stands up and takes the radio from Abby. She stares at Abby until Abby leaves the room.

Clarke looks at her wife and waits for her to sit down again.

Lexa pushes the button on the radio.

“Hello, Octavia.”

_“Hi Lexa, I’m here with Roan and Ontari.”_

“I am here with Clarke.”

_“Roan told me that there is an island, called Shallow Valley and the people on that island call themselves shadow people.”_

“Are they enemies?”

_“No, they’re not enemies. Roan told me that they are seeking an alliance. Apparently they already have an alliance with Roan and his people, but they want an alliance with us drifters as well.”_

“I see. What is their offer?”

_“Roan said that the shadow people gave him Hunter, back when he made an alliance with them. Word traveled that us drifters defeated and destroyed Mountain Island. The shadow people don’t have many warriors at all, according to Roan and they don’t have any healers. They want an alliance so they can bring their sick and wounded people here to heal, and so we would help them if an enemy appears. In return they offer us a few of their strongest children, so they can be drifters and perhaps become warriors.”_

Lexa looks at her wife and waits a moment before replying.

“I think we should agree to the alliance.” Clarke whispers. “We already have one with Roan and his people. Having more allies would benefit us, as well as them. The more allies we have, the better our peace will be. If an enemy dares to appear, that enemy wouldn’t stand a chance against us and our allies.”

Lexa nods. “I agree. What you are saying is true.”

Lexa pushes the button on the radio to reply.

“I will accept an alliance with the shadow people. Roan can take Maya to Shallow Valley Island, to look after the sick and the wounded.”

_“Are you sure you want to send Maya? I mean, yeah she’s a healer, but Echo is a better healer.”_

“I do not wish for Echo to go near sick people. Ophelia is an infant. If I sent Echo, she may infect her child.”

_“Oh yeah right, point taken. So uh Maya should stay with the shadow people then?”_

“Maya shall stay with them until their sick people have healed. She can take Jasper with her, if she would like.”

_“Okay, I’ll make sure Roan takes Maya and Jasper there. Roan can inform them we are accepting an alliance with them. I’ll make sure to point someone as a guardian for when Roan returns with the children they are offering us.”_

“There is one more thing, Octavia.”

_“Yes, Lexa?”_

“I will accept children from the shadow people, on one condition.”

_“What’s your condition?”_

“They have to be orphans. I refuse to accept children who already have parents. We do not rip children away from their parents.”

_“Okay, it’s noted. I’ll talk to you later, Lexa. I miss you guys so much, we all do.”_

“We miss our family too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clexa plans to have a seventh child. Abby reacted quite well. Now they'll have to wait to see if it has been successful. I like to write about Raven, Anya and Octavia as well, that's why I write interactions between them. 
> 
> If there's a character you'd like to read more about, feel free to let me know and I'll considerate it :)


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There will be some fluff and feels.

“Maya, pack your bags.” Octavia orders. “You will be going with Roan to Shallow Valley Island to help the shadow people.”

Jasper stands up from the tree log. “Why are you sending her to those people?” He asks.

“We have an alliance with them now. I spoke on the radio with Lexa and she confirmed this.” Octavia explains. “They need a healer because they don’t have one. Maya will be brought to them as their healer. It is only for a while, until their sick are healed.”

Jasper looks down at the sand. He doesn’t want to see Maya leave for god knows how long.

“Jasper, you will pack your bags too and you will go with her.” Octavia announces. She smiles at Jasper and winks. “Lexa had already suggested you could go with her.”

Jasper jumps up and runs after Maya to pack his bags. He’s happy he can go with her.

“When Roan returns, there will be a few orphans.” Octavia says loud and clear. “I want two guardians to look after them for a while, so they can get accustomed to our home.”

Anya stands next to Octavia and whispers in her ear.

“Harper and Monroe, you two will be their guardians for a while.” Octavia decides. “When the orphans arrive, you two will make sure they have something to eat. There are some spare huts where you can let them sleep. Once they arrive, you both have the task to explain them our ways.”

Monroe holds her thumb up. “You got it, O.”

“Ontari and Hunter will stay here while I take Maya and Jasper to Shallow Valley Island.” Roan says. “If that’s okay?”

Octavia nods. “That’s fine.”

Roan gathers the few warriors he has brought and waits for Maya and Jasper to board his ship.

Octavia grasps Roan’s arm. “Safe travels, friend.”

Roan gives Octavia a small smile. “It takes me a day to get there. I should be back tomorrow before nightfall.”

“We will be waiting.”

Ontari sits down on a tree log with Octavia, Anya and Raven.

“Do you know why the people on Shallow Valley Island call themselves shadow people?” Raven asks.

“They call themselves shadow people because there is not much light on their island.” Ontari replies. “For most part, they live in the shadows.”

“Those orphans they’ll bring here will be quite surprised.” Raven comments. “Our island is quite sunny. The days are nice and warm here. The nights are refreshing and nice. They could hide between the trees if they want to be in the shadows though.”

“Their island is quite the contrast with this one.” Ontari says earnestly. “They are used to shadows, mud and rain.”

“It rarely rains here.” Anya says. “I can see what you mean when you say contrast.”

Octavia looks at Ontari. “Was Hunter an orphan when you got him?” She hopes he was. Not to be cruel of course, but because she hopes he wasn’t ripped away from his actual parents.

Ontari nods. “Yes, he was an orphan. Roan had always wanted a son.”

Octavia tilts her head. “Um but… you and Roan are together so why um… adopt?”

Ontari sighs. “Adopting is fine by me. I don’t particularly want more than one child. The whole pregnancy thing is not for me. There are enough children to adopt anyway. Better to give them parents rather than to create more children.”

“Yeah I get that.” Raven chimes in. “I wouldn’t choose the whole pregnancy thing either. Adopting is fine.”

“I think our island will be more silent now that Jasper is gone.” Anya says lightly.

Octavia shakes her head. “Nah, we still have Raven.”

Raven kisses Octavia’s cheek. “Love you too.” She stands up to go grab her boom box. “Party, anyone?”

“Raven, no.” Octavia warns. “No way, not going to happen.”

Raven ignores her and plays some music.

Octavia stands up and crosses her arms. “Not now, Raven. I will take your toys away if you don’t listen.”

Kai stands next to Octavia and looks at his mother. “Yeah mami, no party now. Octavia will take your toys.” He laughs.

Raven groans. “You two are no fun.” She looks at Octavia. “Commander pretend to be.” She looks at Kai. “And commander wannabe.”

Kai crosses his arms. “I will win when that conclave takes place.”

Raven ruffles his hair. “You still got some years left to train.”

“Don’t forget that conclave is not the only thing.” Octavia adds. “I think Emily will win.”

“Psh please, O, my son has been training longer than your daughter has.”

“Emily is six and she’s already getting close to defeating Kai, even though he is nine and has been training longer than she has.” Octavia sounds proud when she talks about her daughter. “In the two years she has been training, she can almost defeat Kai who has been training for five years. There are still five years left for them to train. You see what my daughter can do after two years, just wait to see what she can do in five more years from now.”

“Yeah we will see. I bet none of the kids has anything on Kai when it comes to the conclave.” Raven whispers. “Kai will take them all down.”

“Don’t be so sure of that.”

Anya groans. “Are you two going to shut up and stop bickering?” She points at the children. “You’re setting a bad example.”

“Not my fault O is such a hothead.” Raven huffs.

Anya rolls her eyes. “Enough, Kai and Emily are both good.”

Hunter holds his sword up. “I will win that conclave.”

Octavia laughs. “Kid, you’re not even one of us. You can’t participate, you’re not a drifter.”

Ontari pulls Hunter in her arms and looks at him. “You are a prince. Your father is a king. When you grow up, you will be the king.” She’s pleased to see Hunter’s frown turning into a smile.

Octavia sees Ontari glaring at her. Okay, she didn’t really handle that well. She shouldn’t have laughed at Hunter, he’s just a kid. It might have been a bit harsh to tell Hunter he’s not one of them, even though it’s true.

 

* * *

 

 

“How about we all go swimming today?” Abby offers. She looks at her daughter, then at Lexa and her grandchildren. “I know you all like to swim.”

Clarke looks at her mother. “Are you suggesting we go to the sea to swim?” She pauses for a second. “The children can swim, but I’d rather not have them swimming around at sea.”

“Oh no.” Abby waves her hand and chuckles. “I meant at a swimming pool.”

Lexa’s head snaps up. “My father had one of those in his house.” She remembers.

“I don’t have one in my house, but there are places with big swimming pools.” Abby replies.

Clarke nods and looks at her children. “Go put a shirt on and some shorts.” She looks at her wife. “I’ll go get my white shirt to swim, do you want one too?”

Lexa smiles and nods.

“No, wait.” Abby stops them. “You can’t swim with your clothes. You have to wear a swimsuit.”

Clarke cocks her head. “We didn’t bring one of those weird suits.” She has seen swimsuits before, when they were staying at Gustus’ place.

“We could go buy some swimsuits first and then we can go swimming.” Kane suggests.

“I want to go swimming.” Aqua says.

Lexa and Clarke look at their children who are jumping around, ready to go swimming.

Abby and Kane lead the way for them. They go to a store that sells swimsuits. Once they have those, they go to the swimming pool.

“What are all those strangers doing here?” Clarke asks.

“They are here to swim, like us.” Abby explains. “Anyone who wants to swim can come here.”

Lexa points at the strange object in and around the water. “What are those things?”

“Those are slides and other fun things.” Abby answers. “You can go down the slides. You’ll like it.”

Clarke points at something else. “What is that weird tube with people in it who are moving?”

“That is a water slide. People can go through it and there’s water in it.” Abby explains. “It’s not filled with water though, I mean, you can breathe in there. You can slide down and then land in the water.”

Kane points somewhere to his right. “We have to put our swimsuits on, we can get changed there.” He points to the left. “There are lockers, where we can put our clothes in afterwards.”

“Children, when you are done, wait here.” Lexa orders.

Lexa and Clarke rush to get changed into their swimsuits.

Clarke seizes the moment to push her wife against the door and kiss her.

“Clarke.” Lexa whispers. “Our children will be waiting for us.”

Clarke pulls away. “You’re right. I don’t want them wandering around on their own either.”

They open the door and see their children, changed into their swimming suits. After a bit, Abby and Kane join them.

Kane walks over to the lockers. He opens one. “We can put our clothes in here.” He waits for all of them to put their clothes in the locker before locking it. “Now we are ready to swim.”

“Stay close to us, children.” Lexa says. She looks at Abby and Kane. “I expect you both to keep an eye on our children as well.”

“Of course.” Abby replies.

Clarke looks around. This is not the type of place she expected. She thought it would be like the swimming pool Gustus had in his house. There are so many people here. Some aren’t even swimming. It’s loud here.

Lexa stays close to her wife in the water. Together they watch their children swim and splash in the water.

Clarke hopes that she is pregnant. She wants to go home soon. The doctor at the hospital told her the success rates are high and that it’s doubtful that she wouldn’t be pregnant. Her wife hasn’t left her side ever since. Not that Lexa ever really leaves her side, but there’s a difference. Together they decided not to tell their children yet. They will wait a bit before telling them and others.

“Mama, will you go down the slide with me?” Lily asks.

“I want to go down the slide too.” Skye adds.

Lexa lightly pecks her wife’s lips. She follows her twins to go down the slide with them.

Aqua splashes some water at her mother.

“I will get you back!” Clarke shrieks. She splashes some water at Aqua.

Blue and River quickly help their sister and splash water at their mother.

Abby and Kane are swimming with Hope.

River sees some children jumping into the water while they curl up like a ball. He gets out of the pool to do the same.

“This water tastes strange.” Aqua says.

Clarke laughs lightly. “You’re not supposed to drink it.”

“I’m not drinking it, mommy. I was swimming and some water got in my mouth.” Aqua replies. “It tastes different than our water at home.”

“Try not to drink any of it.”

Aqua pouts. “I wasn’t drinking it, mommy.”

Skye jumps in Clarke’s arms. “I went down the slide with mama!”

“That sounds like fun.” Clarke replies with a smile. She prepares herself to catch Lily who is about to jump in her arms too.

Lily giggles when her mother catches her. “Did you see us on the slide, mommy?”

“I’m sorry sweetie I was watching your brothers and your sisters.”

“It’s okay, mommy, we understand.” Skye whispers.

Lexa wraps her arms around her wife and kisses her.

Lily taps Lexa’s shoulder. “Mama, some of the strangers are staring.” She whispers.

Lexa reluctantly pulls away from her wife to look. Lily is right, some strangers are staring. Why are those strangers staring so much at them? Why are some scrunching their nose up while others are smiling? Those strangers here are… well, strange.

Clarke snakes her arms around her wife’s neck and pulls her close for a kiss.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, O, wait up!” Raven shouts. She runs after Octavia who is making her way to the trees.

Octavia stops and turns around. “What do you want?” She asks with a soft voice, to make sure not to sound harsh.

“I need someone else to teach my class today.” Raven replies.

“Why is that?”

“I’m teaching Monty some things about technology and I’m explaining how to make bombs. You know, all that fun stuff.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Raven.” Octavia waves her hand. “You should go teach your class.”

“Come on, O.” Raven rolls her eyes. “Monty is showing some talent and I bet I can teach him how to do what I can do.”

Octavia sighs. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to have someone who can do what you do, as long as you don’t blow anything up.”

“We won’t blow anything up.”

Octavia nods. “Okay, you can teach Monty those things.”

Raven hugs Octavia. “I’ll see you around in a bit, yeah?”

“Yeah, I’ll see you.”

Octavia walks back to the beach. “Anya, you’re taking over Raven’s class for today.” She orders.

“What is Raven up to this time?” Anya asks with a raised eyebrow.

“She’s going to teach Monty some things.”

Anya shrugs. “I hope she doesn’t blow anything up.”

“I hope not, but knowing her, she might.”

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke chuckles as her wife kisses her stomach. “We don’t know yet if it worked, Lexa. I might not even be pregnant.”

“The doctor promised us a high chance that you will be pregnant.”

Clarke weaves her fingers in her wife’s hair. “It’s sweet that you’re giving me such gentle kisses.”

Lexa grazes her teeth across her wife’s skin and moves up higher, meeting Clarke’s lips for a passionate kiss.

“Mhm, your lips are so soft.” Clarke hums.

“Speak for yourself.” Lexa smiles against her wife’s soft and plump lips.

“Our nights are not so bad here.” Clarke whispers. “Although I do miss our home.”

“I miss our home too.” Lexa admits. “At home we can sleep under the stars.”

“Mhm yes, I love to sleep under the stars. It’s romantic.”

“Once we are home, we can sleep under the stars.”

Clarke wraps her arms around her wife. “I’d love to.”

Lexa misses all the nights they have spent at home. Often they would sneak out their hut and huddle up together on the sand, close to the campfire. Then they’d look up at the stars together. Their home is a much better place for romantic moments together. The mattress they’re sleeping on here in civilization is soft, but at home in their hammock their bodies are flushed together, which is better.

“We can go home anytime you would like, Clarke.”

“I think I’d like to go home in a few days, we’ve been here for two weeks now.”

“Are you sure?” Not that I do not want to go home. Of course I want to go home. It is just that your mother suggested to extend our visit even longer than we already have, so you can get a check-up at the hospital in a few weeks to see if you did get pregnant.”

Clarke sighs. “Yeah I know she suggested that, but I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to be stuck here for weeks on end. I miss our home and I want to go back. Once we’re home I’ll know eventually if I’m pregnant or not. If my stomach doesn’t get bigger after several weeks, I’ll know it didn’t work, but I think it will all be fine.”

“Your mother seemed concerned about you wanting to go through labor on our island.”

“My mom worries too much sometimes. Echo will be able to help me, she knows what to do.”

“That is true.”

“It’s going to be amazing, Lexa. We will have a seventh child.”

“You sure love children.”

Clarke pecks her wife’s lips. “That I do.”

“I am not fully convinced yet.”

Clarke grabs her pillow and smacks it at her wife. “Shut up, you just want more kisses.”

Lexa catches the pillow. “Would that be so bad?”

Clarke pulls her wife on top of her and kisses her. She parts her lips and traces her tongue across Lexa’s bottom lip. “Does that answer your question?”

“Shhh.”

Clarke doesn’t get the chance to reply, her wife’s lips are forcefully claiming hers. When Lexa pulls away, she’s nearly breathless.

Lexa feels her wife’s fingers sliding under her shirt, tracing patterns on her back.

“I hope you have a spot on your back for the new tattoo you’ll be getting once we have our seventh child.” Clarke whispers.

“Hmm, if we would not have so many children, it would not be an issue.”

“I know you love all of them, Lexa.”

Lexa smiles at her wife. “That I do.” She leans closer to Clarke. “Do you know who else I love?” Her voice is husky and a bit raspy.

Clarke caresses her wife’s cheek. “Hmm let me guess… um is it… Anya? Or um Octavia or…”

Lexa groans and kisses her wife. “I love you.”

Clarke smiles against her wife’s lips. “I love you too.”

Lexa strokes her wife’s hair, tender and sweet. This is something she wouldn’t mind doing all night long, to have Clarke in her arms and stroke her hair. If she listens closely, she can hear her wife’s heart beating. It feels special to know that Clarke is hers and always will be hers, their sacred marriage ensures that. All the promises they made to each other ensures that as well. She has been through so much with Clarke. Together they slayed the sea monster, Jrot. When the other drifters were dropping like flies, all wounded, it didn’t take long before only her wife and she were left, but they did it. Clarke is her equal. Around her wife she can feel more vulnerable at times, yet at the same time Clarke gives her strength.

Clarke places one hand on her wife’s chest. She likes sleeping in Lexa’s arms like this. Her wife’s chest in slowly moving up and down, it’s soothing. How amazing it feels to know that Lexa holds her close in her heart, and their children as well. One of the things she adores the most about her wife is the amount of love she has in her. Lexa gives so much, and takes so little. She knows her wife would die more than a thousand deaths if it meant that Lexa could keep their family safe. She knows her wife would receive hundred cuts, if it meant no other drifter would have to receive any. It wouldn’t surprise her if Lexa would even do the same for their allies. Her wife is fiercely loyal and protective.

When this life ends, she will be waiting to share the next with Lexa, and so on. Their love will always be eternal. Nothing can tear them apart, not even the forces of nature. Even if they end up being miles and miles apart from each other, they will always find their way back. When she’s sleeping and her wife is up for breakfast or something else, she can feel a pull. As ridiculous as that would sound to someone, she can feel it when Lexa is not right next to her anymore. The strings of her heart always pull themselves in her wife’s direction. She would never need a compass or a map. Her heart is all the guidance she needs to find Lexa anywhere.

Lexa has had many silent conversations with her wife. Sometimes their silence is enough. They don’t need words, their eyes say enough. There are drifters at home who are still not used to that, and look up at them when they have a silent conversation with their eyes. She knows Clarke’s body language. She can tell when her wife is hurt, frustrated, in awe, concerned, angry, in love and so much more. For each emotion her wife feels her body language changes slightly. She has been with Clarke for thirteen years, she knows her wife like the back of her hand. What intrigues her is that Clarke knows her too. Her wife can see through her stoic look, Clarke sees so many things others can’t, most importantly, her wife can see her heart. Clarke finds the good in her when she is lost and thinks there is none. When pieces in her shatter, her wife is right there to puzzle them back together, stronger than ever. Every touch from Clarke sets her body on fire, in a good way.

Clarke feels hot tears rolling down her cheeks. Her tears are a mixture of sadness and pure bliss, sadness because she misses home, pure bliss because she’s here in her wife’s arms. Deep down she knows that Lexa is home, and that will always be the case.

Lexa cups her wife’s cheeks. Her thumbs wipe the tears from her pretty face. “Even with tears running down your cheeks, you couldn’t look more beautiful.” She whispers earnestly.

Clarke can tell how much love her wife is pouring into those words. Lexa is not only saying she looks beautiful. Her wife is telling her how much she loves her. She doesn’t need to hear Lexa say those words to know they are true. She presses her lips tenderly against her wife’s lips.

Lexa feels her wife’s lips ghosting over hers, before their lips touch. She notices the way Clarke’s lips tremble. Her wife’s wet tears touch her skin. Clarke is so much more than she ever deserves. Her wife is special, unique, one of a kind.

Clarke looks into her wife’s eyes. There are no walls, no fences or anything at all to keep her out. Lexa is giving everything to her, with her honest and open eyes. This is her wife, her Lexa. In the moonlight that cracks through the window, she can see the sparkle in her wife’s eyes. Lexa looks so small, so fragile, but her wife is far from fragile. Lexa is the strongest person she’s ever met, and she doubts anyone is stronger than her wife. Nobody can compare to Lexa, not at all, not even by a single fracture. She is allowed to see her wife in ways that others aren’t.

Lexa shows herself with her heart on her sleeve. She knows that with her wife, she can. Clarke would never do anything to harm her. The moonlight does justice to her wife’s curves. When she looks in Clarke’s eyes, she can see the moon is reflected in them. Why would she ever need the stars in the sky while her wife has them in her eyes? Why would she need light when Clarke’s smile is brighter than the sunniest day?

Clarke closes her eyes. She feels Lexa’s hand, stroking her hair. Her wife is singing and humming softly, lulling her to sleep. How did she ever get so lucky to have Lexa in her life?

Lexa smiles when she hears sleepy noises coming from her wife. Clarke is absolutely adorable. “I love you, Clarke, so much more than I can possibly express. What I feel for you is beyond this world. You’re my soulmate, I know that in my heart.” She whispers softly, assuming that her wife is deeply asleep. “Your love gives me strength, it always will. When thousands years pass, I will love you for a thousand more. If I dare to be selfish, I would say that even an eternity with you is nowhere near long enough.”

A small tugs at Clarke’s lips. She loves to hear her wife whispering to her like that. She knows Lexa assumes she is sleeping. Her little secret? Sometimes she pretends she’s already sleeping, just so she can hear the way her wife carries her heart on her sleeve. Lexa will always be her soulmate. She has loved Lexa since she was that twelve year old little girl, who asked Lexa to be her first kiss. After that first kiss, she knew she would never want to kiss anyone else. Every inch of her is and will always be Lexa’s.

 

* * *

 

 

“I think Monty is getting the hang of it.” Raven says before stuffing her mouth with berries.

“So your teaching lessons have been going well then?” Octavia asks.

“Raven is a good teacher.” Monty chimes in. “It’s cool what she’s been teaching me.”

Miller looks at his husband. “I hope you won’t be blowing things up. It can be dangerous.”

Monty kisses his husband. “There’s nothing to worry about, it’s all safe.”

“Safe?” Octavia scoffs. “I wouldn’t say that when it comes to Raven and her toys.”

“Please, O.” Raven waves her hand. “I’m a natural.”

“The natural who blew one of the spare huts up once.” Anya says. “Lexa still hasn’t forgotten that.”

Raven groans. “That was one time. It was a small mistake.”

“Probably because you’re such a natural.” Octavia teases.

“You ain’t seen nothing yet.” Raven retorts.

“I beg the differ.” Octavia replies dryly. “It was epic how you made Mountain Island go boom, not to forget the way you blew Pike’s ship up.”

“Nah, that was nothing. I can do much more.”

“Woah okay.” Monty says. “Never pick a fight with you, got it.”

Miller laughs at his husband, takes Monty’s hand and kisses his knuckles.

Raven looks at Monty and Miller. “You two are cute together.”

Monty blushes slightly. “Thanks, Raven.”

“You two are the only dudes on our island that are together and married.” Raven notes. “That’s awesome.”

Anya grabs a handful of berries from Raven’s bowl. “These berries any good?”

Raven leans closer to her wife and smirks. “Want a taste?”

Anya closes the gap between them and kisses her wife. “Yum, it’s delicious.”

“I know right?” Raven winks. “I’ll have something else you can eat later tonight.”

“Oh my god you two!” Octavia covers her ears. “I don’t need to hear those things.”

Anya gently elbows her wife. Raven often shares more than she should, but god does she love that woman. It’s been an amazing thirteen years with Raven. Who would have guessed that she’d end up with the sassy girl she used to go to school with? Thirteen years ago when they kissed for the first time, she didn’t dare to dream they would eventually get married, but they did. Raven had always found a way to get through to her. Back at school, she wasn’t particularly social, to say the least. That never stopped Raven from trying to become friends, and it worked. She has seen Raven at her best and at her worst.

“What are you thinking about, babe?” Raven asks while staring deeply into her wife’s eyes.

Anya smiles at her wife. “You.”

“If you two are going to make out, go to your hut.” Octavia groans. “I’ve witnessed enough tongue dances between you two.”

“I think they’re sweet together.” Miller says appraisingly. “Their love is beautiful.”

“I agree.” Harper chimes in.

Monroe places her arms around Harper’s waist. “Not as sweet as us though.”

Raven shrugs at that. “You wish, Anya and I have been together way longer and we have been married longer.”

“Well yeah, that’s true.” Harper admits. “It’s amazing how long you two have been together.”

Monroe looks at Raven. “You were thirteen when you got together with Anya, right?”

“Yup that’s right.” Raven kisses her wife’s cheek. “And this babe here was sixteen.”

Monroe whistles. “That’s impressive.”

“Clarke and Lexa were twelve when they got together.” Octavia comments. “They have been together for thirteen years, just like Raven and Anya, but they’re a bit younger.”

“I haven’t heard of anyone being together at such a young age and still being together as adults.” Harper says. “It’s adorable.”

Raven pumps her fist in the air. “Gays rule!”

“I got together with Lincoln when I was sixteen.” Octavia says. “If he had been on our island sooner, I might have ended up with him sooner than that.”

Raven shakes her head and laughs. “That would have been wrong. Lincoln’s got six years on you.”

Octavia shrugs. “Whatever. Things are different here.”

“I agree to things being different here.” Anya hums. “However, being with someone who has six years on you would have been weird if you had been below sixteen. I mean, can you imagine when Emily is let’s say fourteen and she’d be with someone who’s twenty? I bet you’d freak out.”

“Okay yeah, I see your point.” Octavia admits.

“Anyone below sixteen being with an adult would just be weird.” Raven says. “It would be kinda gross.”

“In civilization it is illegal for adults to do things with anyone under sixteen.” Anya notes, racking through her mind to gather her knowledge.

“That makes sense if you ask me.” Raven adds.

“Here it wouldn't be illegal if let’s say someone who is fifteen kisses someone in their twenties.” Octavia whispers. “Although it would probably be frowned upon.”

Anya nods. “All the drifters would definitely frown upon that. Luckily they have enough brains to know that would be weird. I haven’t seen any couples with big age differences. Most couples are pretty much the same age, or differ a few years.”

Raven looks at Octavia. “As far as I’m aware, you and Lincoln have the biggest age difference.”

“Six years is not so bad.” Octavia replies. “We’re both adults, happily married and we have our perfect little angel.”

Raven laughs. “Yeah Lincoln knocked you up when you were sixteen. Damn, I’ll never forget that day where we all found out you were pregnant. Lexa totally lost it. She would have killed Lincoln if he had been a random stranger.”

Anya laughs along with her wife. “I still can’t believe you had no idea that Lincoln was not a stranger, Octavia.”

Octavia groans. “Come on you guys, I was eight when we ended up here and I didn’t remember him. I barely saw him on the ship. All my memories from before our island are rather vague.”

“That wall of water sure hit us hard that night.” Raven mumbles. She hugs Octavia. “I’m so happy you didn’t drown that night, O. Fuck it was so scary because you couldn’t swim.”

“I agree with my wife.” Anya says. “I was worried too.”

“Thanks to Gustus I didn’t drown that night.” Octavia replies, still grateful. “I really thought I would have been a goner, until he lifted me up that door and then lifted you both on it too, along with Clarke and Lexa.”

“Quite frankly I was shocked you couldn’t swim.” Anya admits.

Octavia shrugs. “I came from a poor family, we never really did much.”

“Here on our island children learn how to swim when they’re barely three years old.” Raven says truthfully. “I suppose that’s realistic considering we live on an island.”

Octavia is happy that she ended up here. This island is her home. Anya taught her how to swim on this island, when she was eight years old. Anya cared for her like a mother would. When her parents told her their daughter is dead, it hit her hard. It felt like being punched in her chest repeatedly. Despite the pain that gave her, she will always have a family. She has Lincoln, her amazing husband who is always there for her. She has her daughter Emily, who is her little angel. She has Indra, who is like a mother to her and protects her. She also has Anya, Raven, Clarke, Lexa and Aden. She grew up with them on this island, they are her family. She also has Bellamy, her brother who surprisingly became a drifter at some point.

This island means many things to the drifters.

This island means home.

This island means family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They're all so cute.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clexa goes back home with their children.

Octavia looks around. She can see the drifters. Who she doesn’t see however, are the new orphans. “Harper, Monroe, where are the new orphans?” She assigned them as temporary guardians they should be keeping an eye on them.

Monroe shrugs. “We have no idea.” She hasn’t seen them today.

Harper stares at the sand. “We’re sorry, but they weren’t in their hut when we got up to get them.”

Kai grabs a bowl and sits down on a tree log. “They’re hiding between the trees.” He points somewhere at a few trees. “Around there is where I saw them.”

“Uh okay, looks like they’re hiding then.” Harper says.

Kai nods. “They are not used to our island. I talked to them. They said they like to hide in the shadows.” He likes the new children they’re a bit sneaky like him.

Octavia has an idea. “Hey, Kai, can you do something for me?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I want to you to keep an eye on the new children.” Octavia figures that might be better for the new orphans. Kai is around their age and he sneaks around as well. “Teach them our ways.”

Kai stands up and takes an extra bowl with fruit, before vanishing between the trees.

“Good idea.” Raven mumbles while grabbing some berries from her bowl. “Kai will help them adapt.”

Octavia nods. “I’m counting on it.”

“I think he’s happy to have a task like that.” Anya notes. “He likes to help.”

“He’s a good kid.” Raven adds.

“Mommy, have you seen Kai?” Emily asks, looking at her mother.

“Good morning, my little angel.” Octavia smiles at her daughter. “He’s somewhere between the trees with the new children.”

Emily smiles and runs off between the trees.

“Kai and Emily hang around together a lot.” Anya says. “They seem close, it’s sweet.” She’s happy that her son gets along with Emily.

“They’re family.” Octavia replies.

“Yeah they are.” Anya agrees. “Lincoln is my cousin. That makes Kai and Emily second cousins from each other.”

“You know, at civilization second cousins can get married.” Harper points out. She laughs when Anya, Raven and Octavia scrunch their nose up. “It’s true.”

“Are you implying Kai and Emily would end up together?” Anya asks with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m not saying they would.” Harper replies. “I’m saying that it is possible they could. Besides, Kai is adopted anyway, so why not.”

That hits a nerve for Raven and Anya. They both stand up and walk away.

Octavia glares at Harper. “Kai is Raven’s and Anya’s son.” Her voice is cold. “Don’t you ever make a comment like that again or I will punch you.” She clenches her fists, stands up and runs after Raven and Anya.

Harper stays behind like a frozen statue. Her words were a lot harsher than she meant them to be. She didn’t mean to imply that Kai wouldn’t be Raven’s and Anya’s son. Of course Kai is their son, they raised him.

Octavia hugs Raven and Anya. She places her hands tentatively on their cheeks. “Hey listen, Kai is your son. No matter what kind of crap anyone says. Kai is yours.”

Anya sighs. “I’m glad Kai wasn’t around to hear what Harper said.”

“I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it.” Octavia whispers. “It was a bit harsh of her. No worries, if she says something like that ever again, I’ll punch her.”

Anya chuckles at that. “Thanks, Octavia.”

“You’re both my friends, I’ll always have your back.” Octavia says with determination.

Raven hugs Octavia tightly. “Thanks, O.”

Harper carefully approaches Anya and Raven. "I'm really sorry about what I said."

"It's fine now." Raven replies. 

"Just don't say something like that again." Anya adds. 

"I don't want to risk our friendship." Harper whispers. "Are we still friends?"

Raven nods. "Yeah we're friends, c'mere." She opens her arms and hugs Harper. 

Anya and Octavia join the hug too. 

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is selecting some clothes, while her wife is still in bed.

Clarke eyes her wife who is clad in a night gown. “You look so hot in that.” She mutters to herself.

Aqua pipes up next to Clarke. “What did you say about mama?” She asks curiously.

Clarke blushes and clears her throat. “I said uh… that it looks like it is warm for mama.”

Aqua studies her mother’s face, noticing her red cheeks. “I think it is warm for you too, mommy.”

Lexa turns around with a grin on her face. “Yes, it is warm. Very warm.” She whispers with a husky voice. “I might need a cold shower.” She winks at her wife.

Clarke gulps audibly.

Aqua looks confused at her mothers. “It’s not that warm.” She shrugs. Her parents are weird sometimes.

Lexa kneels down next to Aqua. “Go pack your suitcase, sweetie.”

Aqua smiles. “Are we going home, mama?” The look on her face is hopeful.

Lexa nods. “Yes, we plan to go home soon.”

“Go tell your brothers and sisters to pack too.” Clarke adds.

Aqua shrieks and runs off to go tell her other siblings.

Abby lingers at the entrance of their door. She was in the hall and had heard Lexa telling Aqua to go pack. She takes a deep breath and knocks on their door.

“You may enter.” Lexa replies.

Abby walks in and sits down on the bed next to Clarke. “Are you two planning to leave?”

“Yes mom, we are.”

Abby looks around for a moment, to make sure the children aren’t around. “Clarke, we don’t know yet if you’re pregnant. It would be better if you’d stay a few more weeks, so you can get a check-up at the hospital.”

Clarke shakes her head. “No, mom. We’ll be going home. Eventually I’ll be able to tell if my stomach grows or not. If I’m pregnant, Echo will help me at home, along with Maya.”

“Are you sure you want to leave so soon?”

“Mom, we already stayed longer than planned. We really want to go home. Please understand.”

“I understand that the island is your home.” Abby caresses Clarke’s cheek. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, mom.”

Abby stands up. “I’ll be waiting downstairs.”

“Okay, mom.”

When Abby walks out, Clarke stands up to help her wife packing.

“Are you okay, Clarke?” Lexa asks, eyeing her wife.

Clarke nods. “Yeah, I’m fine. I’m glad to be going home. I hope I’ll be pregnant.”

Lexa takes her wife’s hand and kisses her temples. “I am sure you will be.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“I feel it in my bones.”

Clarke laughs lightly. “Okay Lexa, I believe you.” She rubs one of her hands over her stomach. “A few more weeks and we’ll see if my stomach is growing.”

“I love you, Clarke.”

“I love you too, Lexa.”

“You’re perfect.”

Clarke smiles at her wife. “You’re perfecter.”

“There is no such word, Clarke.”

“There is now.”

Lexa tenderly kisses her wife’s hand. “You are cute.”

 

* * *

 

 

Abby just got downstairs when she sees her husband in the kitchen with Jake and Gustus.

“They are upstairs, packing.” Abby says. “I think they’ll be down soon.”

Gustus nods. “May we go upstairs to help them carry their suitcases?” He doesn’t want to go upstairs without Abby’s permission. It is Abby’s house after all.

Abby smiles weakly. “Yes, that’s alright.” She doesn’t have a problem with that.

Gustus and Jake leave the kitchen to go upstairs.

Kane looks at his wife. “I see that you’re struggling with this.”

“It was nice to have my daughter here. We don’t often get to spend time together.” Abby sighs and grabs a cup of coffee. “The kids are adorable.”

“Clarke and Lexa are doing a good job raising them.”

Abby sips from her coffee. “Yes, they’re very good with their children. When I had Clarke, it was enough for me. I never thought about having more children. One already felt like enough to handle. When I heard that Clarke has six children, I was worried. Raising children is not an easy task, let alone six. Now she’s going for a seventh and she’s handling it so well with Lexa.”

“Clarke and Lexa fit perfectly together.” Kane says with admiration. “They complete each other and they’re great parents.”

“They have so much on their plates. Lexa is the commander, she’s the leader on their island and Clarke is her equal. They lead their people and on top of that they’re raising so many kids.”

Abby grabs the radio, to let the drifters know that Clarke and Lexa are coming back home to them.

 

* * *

 

 

_“Raven, are you there?”_

Raven is tinkering with some things along with Monty. “Wait up, Monty, I need to answer this.” She grabs her radio and presses the button to answer.

“Yeah Abby, I’m here. What’s up?”

_“Hi honey, I want to let you know that Clarke and Lexa will be sailing back.”_

“Nice, I’ll let the others know.”

_“They are packing as we speak.”_

“Good okay, then they should arrive here in a week from now.”

_“I’ll talk to you later, Raven.”_

“It was good to hear from you, Abby. Always a pleasure.”

Monty gives Raven a strange look. “Always a pleasure?” He asks questioningly.

Raven shrugs. “Abby ain’t bad.” She sees Monty narrowing his eyes. “She can be cool.”

“If you say so.” Monty mocks.

Raven tosses her radio at his head.

“Hey, watch that!” Monty shouts.

“Go tell Octavia and the others that Lexa and Clarke will be sailing back.” Raven orders.

“Why don’t you tell them yourself?”

“And leave you alone with my stuff?” Raven raises her eyebrow. “No way, now go tell them.”

“Okay, I’ll go tell them.” Monty gives in.

Octavia is standing on the beach, training the children.

“Be careful with that sword, Hunter!” Octavia warns. “Emily, don’t forget to defend your left as well as your right.”

“I appreciate that you let my son train too.” Roan says, looking at Octavia. “It means a lot to me.”

Octavia waves her hand. “It’s nothing, Roan. You’re our ally and our friend, so of course your son can train with us when you’re spending time here.”

“We’re more here than on our own island.” Ontari points out truthfully.

“Hey, O!” Monty shouts.

“What’s up, Monty?” Octavia asks.

“Raven had radio contact with Abby. Clarke and Lexa will be sailing back to us.”

“Ah okay, that’s good.” Octavia smiles a bit. “They should be here in a week then.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Oh hi, dad.” Clarke smiles as her dad walks in their room. “We’re almost done packing.”

“Hey kiddo, it’s good to see you.” Jake smiles back at his daughter and hugs her.

“Dad, I told you not to call me kiddo anymore.” Clarke groans a little, but she doesn’t truly mind it. “I’m an adult with six kids.”

“You’ve been growing up so fast.”

Gustus walks in the room too. “Hello, Lexa and Clarke.”

“Hello, father.” Lexa greets.

Clarke chuckles at Lexa’s and Gustus’ formal greeting. They’re always like that. “It’s good to see you, Gustus.”

Lexa shares a look with her wife.

Clarke nods. “Dad, can you sit down for a moment? Gustus, you too.”

Jake and Gustus look at each other, not knowing what to expect. They sit down on the bed.

Lexa takes her wife’s hand, giving her a gentle squeeze.

Clarke takes a deep breath. “We know we have six children…”

“Are you going to tell us you want to adopt more?” Jake asks.

Clarke shakes her head. “Not quite. I uh… want to experience what it’s like to be pregnant. So uh… well, mom helped me and took us to the hospital. I might be pregnant, well, I hope I am.”

“We want you both to know we will have a seventh child eventually.” Lexa adds.

Gustus smiles at them. “You both love children very much, I can tell.” He stands up. “I am happy to hear I will be the grandfather of another child eventually.”

Clarke looks at her father. “Dad?”

Jake stands up and ruffles Clarke’s hair. “I’m happy for you, kiddo.”

“We’re ready!” Aqua shouts from the hallway. “All packed.”

“Okay sweetie!” Clarke shouts back. “Be careful when you go downstairs.”

Gustus and Jake go help the children with their suitcases and their bags.

Clarke and Lexa finish up with theirs and carry them downstairs.

It’s a sunny day, so they don’t have to worry about their hair still being damp from the shower they took.

Clarke takes a moment to hug her mother and Kane. “You’re both welcome to visit us whenever you’d like.” She smiles at them.

Lexa stiffens a little when Abby and Kane hug her briefly.

Abby and Kane kneel down to hug their grandchildren. They both smile as their grandchildren throw themselves in their arms.

“Okay children, we will be going now.” Lexa says loud and clear.

Skye and Lily are both holding onto a suitcase. Gustus wants to take it, but Skye swats his hand away. “We got this one.”

Lexa carries two suitcases. Gustus and Jake do the same.

Aqua, River and Blue proudly carry their suitcases, trying to show off how strong they are.

Clarke lets Hope hop on her back, because Hope fell yesterday and hurt her foot a little. She doesn’t want her daughter to walk all the way to Gustus’ ship. She doesn’t have to carry a suitcase her wife is already carrying hers.

Hope holds on to her mother’s shoulders. She wouldn’t have minded to walk, even though that would hurt a little bit.

Gustus and Jake lead the way to Gustus’ ship.

Blue looks up at Hope. “Does your foot still hurt?” He asks concerned.

Hope looks down at her big brother. “A little.”

“I will kiss it better.” Lexa promises.

Hope giggles. “Yes, mama.”

Clarke smiles at her wife. “You’re so cute with our children.”

“I have my moments.”

Gustus turns around to look at Lexa. “When you say moments, you mean 24/7.”

“Try 24/8.” Jake pitches in with a smile on his face.

“How rude.” Lexa replies with a playful tone.

Lily looks at Lexa. “One day I want to be strong just like you, mama.” She admires her mother for carrying two suitcases as if they’re feathers.

“I believe you will be, my angel.”

“I want to be strong too.” Skye says with determination. “When I’m older I will carry this suitcase all by myself.” Her eyes dart down to the suitcase she’s carrying with her twin sister.

“You’re all going to be strong.” Clarke says proudly. “Maybe one day you’ll be so strong your mama and I can hop on your backs instead.”

“No mommy, I don’t think so.” Hope whispers.

“We will be strong, but not that strong.” River adds.

Clarke looks pleadingly at her wife. “Lexa, our children are rejecting us.”

“Na-ah.” Aqua says while shaking her head.

When they board Gustus’ ship, Lexa makes it clear to the children that they shouldn’t bicker about who will sleep where. Gustus may or may not have arranged some extra pillows, since they always like to have pillow fights. He may or may not have heard from Abby that she lost a pillow or six.

 

* * *

 

 

“Jasper and Maya are back.” Raven announces.

Octavia looks up at Raven from the campfire. “That’s good. So the sick and wounded shadow people from Shallow Valley Island are doing better then?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Raven shrugs. She looks around. “Those kids hiding again?”

“I saw them walking between the trees with Kai.”

“Kai likes hanging around with them, I’ve noticed.” Anya notes. “He has been spending more time with them than the others.”

“Emily has been spending time with them too.” Octavia adds.

“Soooo I’m back!” Jasper shouts. “Anyone want to party?”

Octavia stands up and crosses her arms. “Oh hell no.”

“Why not? A party can be fun.”

“Clarke and Lexa will be back soon. I want everyone to behave well.” Octavia says determined. “I don’t want Lexa to find empty cups on our beach and a bunch of drunk drifters.”

“Can we at least play some music then?” Jasper tries.

Octavia nods and looks at Raven. “Not too loud.”

Raven holds her thumb up. “Got if, chief.”

Jasper salutes Octavia. “Aye, aye captain.”

Octavia groans. “I will kill you both.”

“I’d like to see you try.” Raven mocks.

Octavia grabs her sword. “Oh yeah? We can put that to the test during a battle.” She says with confidence.

“Maybe some other time.” Raven scrambles up to her feet to arrange the music.

Anya nudges Octavia. “Raven knows you’re Lexa’s best warrior and that you’d kick her ass, but she doesn’t know when to shut up.”

Raven turns around on the heel of her foot. “I heard that!” She smirks at her wife and adds. “There’s more I can do with my mouth than talk.”

Anya slaps a hand in her face and mutters to herself. Her wife is unbelievable.

Octavia makes fake gagging noises.

Raven laughs heartily and carries on arranging the music. Mere second later, rock & roll music is blasting through her boombox.

Octavia stares wide-eyed at Raven. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“I love rock & roll!” Raven blurts out loudly. She doesn’t need alcohol to have fun.

Raven grabs Octavia’s wrist. “Dance with me!”

“Do I have to?”

Raven laughs. “Come on, O. Stop being so grumpy and dance!”

When the next song blasts through the boombox, most drifters are singing along.

 

_We are young_

_Heartache to heartache we stand_

_No promises_

_No demands_

_Love is a battlefield_

Octavia feels Raven whispering the last line in her ear. She’s holding hands with Raven, they’re dancing and smiling.

 

_We are strong_

_No one can tell us we're wrong_

_Searching our hearts for so long_

_Both of us knowing_

_Love is a battlefield_

Raven grins at Octavia and spins her around in her arms. From the corner of her eyes, she sees Anya dancing with Kai. It’s cute. Her wife is smiling like an idiot while dancing with their son.

 

_When I'm losing control_

_Will you turn me away_

_Or touch me deep inside_

_And when all this gets old_

_Will it still feel the same_

_There's no way this will die_

_But if we get much closer_

_I could lose control_

_And if your heart surrenders_

_You'll need me to hold_

Octavia feels her breath hitch in her throat. Raven is her best friend. Right now Raven is very close to her and it feels as if Raven is singing those lyrics directly to her. No, that sounds crazy.

 

_We are young_

_Heartache to heartache we stand_

_No promises_

_No demands_

_Love is a battlefield_

_We are strong_

_No one can tell us we're wrong_

_Searching our hearts for so long_

_Both of us knowing_

_Love is a battlefield_

The song ends and another song rings through the air.

Lincoln taps Octavia’s shoulder and holds his hand out. “May I have this dance?” He smiles at his wife.

Octavia melts and nods. Of course she’ll have this dance with her husband.

Raven smirks at them and with one last wink she sprints off to dance with Anya.

Lincoln places one hand in the small of his wife’s back and his other hand on her shoulder. He gets lost in her eyes and doesn’t mind that their dance doesn’t particularly fit the music.

Octavia allows her husband to spin her around gently. Butterflies erupt in her stomach when Lincoln spins her around, then pulls her close and wraps her in his arms. It feels good to have his hands on her. It feels right. She loves her husband and she will always love him.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke and Lexa gasp when they’re getting close to their island.

“It sounds like they are having a party.” Lexa whispers.

“Maybe they’re really excited for us to return, so they decided to throw a party for us.”

Lexa shakes her head. “Somehow I doubt that.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Clarke looks around. “It’s getting quite dark they might assume we would be home tomorrow morning, rather than tonight.”

“We have spent six days at sea, Clarke.”

“Exactly, and that’s why I think they aren’t expecting us yet.”

“Home!” Aqua shouts excitedly.

“Yes sweetie, we’re home.” Clarke whispers.

Aqua runs to her cabin with her brothers and sisters, quickly grabbing their suitcases.

Clarke’s laugh bubbles up from her chest. “I have a feeling they are happy to be home.”

Lexa nods. “They aren’t the only ones who are happy to be home.”

“You can say that again.”

Lexa smiles at her wife. “I said that they aren’t the only ones who are happy to be home.”

Clarke softly pushes her wife. “You’re such a dork.” She kisses Lexa. “I love you, you know that, right?”

“I love you too, Clarke.”

Together they get off board of Gustus’ ship and approach the other drifters who are dancing around the campfire.

“Oh shit!” Raven shouts, feeling busted. “I mean, hi, you’re home yay.”

Lexa rolls her eyes.

“Really smooth, Raven.” Clarke laughs. “Not obvious at all.”

Octavia jumps up next to Raven. “On the bright side, we didn’t drink.”

Lexa points at a few children she doesn’t recognize. “Are those the children from Shallow Valley Island?”

Octavia follows Lexa’s finger. “Yeah, they are.”

Lexa nods and puts her suitcase down. She holds her hands up, silencing everyone.

Raven hurries to stop the music now that the commander is back.

Lexa gives them all a serious glare.

“Drifters, my wife, my children and I are happy to be home again!” Lexa shouts, relief evident in her voice. She winks at Clarke and nods.

Clarke holds her hands up. “Let us party!”

The drifters don’t move. They stare at Clarke and Lexa, not sure if they’re serious.

“I am waiting for that party.” Lexa says.

Raven pumps her fist in the air and puts the music back on.

Jasper is ready to run off to grab alcohol.

“No alcohol, Jasper.” Lexa warns.

“Dammit, so close.” Jasper mutters.

Raven pats Jasper’s shoulder. “Jasper my man, you tried.”

Clarke takes a deep breath. “We’re finally home again.” She looks at her wife. “I missed this.”

“Ah yes, loud music and wild dancing, what is not to miss?” Lexa jokes.

Clarke elbows her wife and giggles. “Shut up, Lexa. You know what I mean.”

Lexa wraps her wife in her arms. “There is something I want to do.” She looks up at the stars in the sky and then locks her eyes with Clarke’s.

“What is that?” Clarke asks with a husky voice.

“I want to kiss you under the stars.”

Clarke smiles and leans in. “So kiss me.”

Lexa connects her lips with Clarke’s. This moment is pure bliss.

Their moment is quickly interrupted when their dog, Buddy, runs after the children’s cat.

Abby had the most brilliant, totally not brilliant, idea to give her grandchildren a cat. Of course Aqua, Blue, River, Hope, Skye and Lily had been all over the kitten from the day Abby gave them the kitten.

It’s a red kitten and they named him Tiger. On the bright side, Abby didn’t give them a dog. Puppies would be one of the last things they need on their island.

Hope scoops Tiger protectively in her arms, while Buddy jumps up and tries to lick Hope’s face.

Another pet is really not what the drifters needed. There’s already Arcola, Octavia’s pet bird. Then there’s Buddy, the dog who used to be Gustus’ dog. Now there’s a cat, Tiger.

The drifters and their pets look like a big dysfunctional family, but they’re a family just the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder if anyone is still reading this. There's more planned for this story, since I will let a conclave happen and other things, but if nobody is interested perhaps I should wrap it up and stop. I'm wondering that perhaps the whole children thing doesn't make people won't to read this. 
> 
> Anyway, if you have any thoughts, feel free to let me know! :)


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New strangers show up on their island... Jaha and Allie turn out to be enemies. (No there is no city of light crap).   
> Emerson makes an appearance too. 
> 
> ****Warning: violence in this chapter****

Clarke holds one hand close to her stomach and smiles as her wife sings, close to her stomach. They have been home for a few weeks and her stomach has grown a little, indicating that it all worked out and that she is pregnant. She feels excited about it. Her mother gave her a few books with information, which she hided in her suitcase.

“I don’t think our baby can hear you singing, Lexa.”

“I read about it, Clarke.” Lexa retorts. “Singing and telling stories can be good. It can help our baby to know my voice. I believe our baby can hear what we say.”

Clarke stares at her wife. “Is that why you nearly cut Raven the other day when she was cursing as usual?”

Lexa bites her lip and nods. “Such language is not appropriate.” Okay, she shouldn’t have chased Raven with her dagger, but still.

“You did cut Anya when she tried to avoid letting you cut Raven.”

Lexa sighs shamefully. “I had no intention of cutting Anya. She should not have interrupted. My dagger was meant to hit Raven, not Anya.”

Clarke laughs lightly. “Tell that to Anya’s arm.” She thinks about how she bandaged Anya's arm after the incident. “I think they’re getting a bit suspicious. Not that I can blame them, Raven often uses language that she shouldn’t. Some others do as well. Usually you simply correct them, not chase after them with your dagger.”

“I do not wish for any of our children to grow up with a foul mouth, Clarke.”

“You’re so formal.”

Lexa shrugs. “Manners are important.” She takes a deep breath. “We have to teach our children values.”

“How many of those baby books have you read?”

Lexa blushes and bites her lip, she doesn’t say anything.

Clarke lifts one eyebrow. “Lexa… How many of them did you read?”

“All of them.”

Clarke smiles brightly. “Really, you read all of them?”

“Of course, Clarke. This is important.”

“I wonder how the others will react.” Clarke voices her thought out loud.

“Do you wish to tell them?”

Clarke shakes her head a little. “No, not yet.” She plays with a strand of her wife’s hair, smiling down as her wife kisses her stomach and sings. “I have a feeling you’re kissing my stomach more than you’re kissing my lips.”

Lexa looks up at her wife. “I can change that.”

Clarke’s smile widens. “Yes, please.”

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke takes a cup of cranberry juice. Some of the drifters are dancing around the campfire with a cup in their hands.

“You might feel a little buzz after a few cups.” Jasper warns.

Clarke looks at him. “And why is that?” She takes a sip from her cranberry juice.

“I spiked it.”

Clarke spits it out. She can’t have alcohol while she is pregnant! Ugh, why did Jasper spike their drinks?

Raven eyes Clarke curiously. “What did you spit it out? It’s not that bad.”

“Uh, I’m just not in the mood to drink that.” Clarke lies quickly.

Raven stares at Clarke for a while. “You’ve been acting shady lately.”

Clarke shrugs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Raven.”

Lexa takes her wife’s hand. “I am not in the mood for this type of drinks.” She glares at Jasper. “Stop spiking our drinks!” She doesn’t like how often Jasper does that.

“It’s only a bit.” Jasper defends himself.

“You will not do that without my permission.” Lexa says coolly. “Am I making myself clear?”

“Y-yes, commander.”

“If you spike our drinks again, I will cut you.” Lexa threatens. “Mark my words.”

“Aren’t you being a little harsh?” Raven asks.

“Do not question me, Raven.” Lexa warns.

Lexa knows she is slightly harsher than usual, but she has to be. She cannot risk her wife drinking alcohol. Their baby needs to be healthy. She has to ensure Jasper will not dare to spike their drinks again. They haven’t told the drifters yet that Clarke is pregnant. It’s their little secret, for now.

Raven holds her hands up. “Okay fine, but I’m going to drink a few cups.”

Lexa looks at Anya. “Keep your wife in check.”

Anya chuckles lightly. “Will do.” She holds her hand over the still healing cut on her arm, where Lexa had stabbed her when she was defending her wife.

 

* * *

 

 

“I hate you, Skye!” Lily shouts. “I don’t want to hang out with you anymore!”

Lexa and Clarke run over to their twins. Lily is visibly upset.

Clarke kneels down. “Hey Lily, what’s wrong? Why did you say that to your sister?” She’s worried, Skye and Lily are twins and they have always been inseparable.

Skye pouts while she looks at her sister.

“Skye stole my boyfriend.” Lily cries. “She stole Hunter from me.”

Hunter had asked Lily to be his girlfriend, about a week ago. He had given Lily a few flowers and a peck on her cheek. Now he had turned his interest to Skye and asked her instead, which upset Lily. For the first time, the twins aren’t close.

“Awe sweetie, I’m sorry to hear what happened with Hunter.” Clarke says with a soft and tender voice. “But that doesn’t mean you should say those things to your sister.”

“Skye hurt me, mommy.” Lily cries and pouts.

Lexa kneels down. “Look at me, Lily.” She cups Lily’s cheek and wipes her tears away. “There is no need to cry over some boy. Dry your pretty little eyes.” She shifts her eyes between Skye and Lily. “What happened is not Skye’s fault. It is not nice of Hunter to hurt you like that and to ask your sister to be his girlfriend.”

Lily stops crying. “You’re right, mama. It’s Hunter’s fault. He’s a mean boy!”

Skye takes her sister’s hand. “I don’t like Hunter anymore. Boys are bad.”

“Sweetie, no.” Clarke whispers. “Boys are not bad. Some might be, but not all boys are bad.”

“I don’t like boys.” Skye whispers.

Clarke chuckles lightly. A moment ago Hunter was Skye’s boyfriend, now Skye suddenly doesn’t like boys. Her twins are too young for this. They shouldn’t think about relationships yet. She remembers how she held her heart when Lily said her boyfriend kissed her, until Lily added it was on her cheek.

“I’m sorry about what I said, Skye.” Lily mutters.

Skye hugs her sister. “It’s okay, Lily. I love you.”

“I love you too, Skye.”

Skye holds her pinkie out to her sister. "No boys will come between us ever again, I pinkie promise."

Lily smiles and locks her pinkie with her sister's pinkie. "I promise too."

Clarke feels her heart swell at the interaction between her twins.

“I’m sorry about my son.” Roan says apologetically. “He really seems to like the girls on this island.”

Lexa has a tight-lipped smile. “We are not accustomed to this. Among us drifters, one does not go from one partner to another.” She tries to understand it.

Drifters stick to a relationship once they enter one. They’re all fiercely loyal and the concept of dating several people is foreign to them. With the children, it seems plausible that some might date a few before settling with one.

“Mama, can you braid my hair?” Aqua asks.

Lexa kneels down next to her daughter. “Are you sure you want your pretty curly hair braided?” She looks at Aqua’s blonde curly hair.

Aqua nods. “Yes, mama. I want braids just like you.”

Lexa smiles and gives in. She weaves her fingers through Aqua’s hair.

“I want braids too, mama.” Lily whispers.

“I will braid your hair once I am done braiding Aqua’s hair.” Lexa promises.

“Mine too, mama.” Skye whispers.

Lexa looks at Hope. “Do you want braids too?” Now that she’s at it, she might as well ask.

Hope shakes her head. “No, thank you, mama.” She prefers to keep her hair down like her other mother, Clarke.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is standing next to her wife, training the children when a strange ship approaches their island. She holds her hands up as a signal for the children to stop training.

“Drifters, stay close to the huts!” Lexa commands. “Octavia, Indra, Anya and Aden, follow me.” She looks at Lincoln and Raven. “Stay close to Clarke.”

Lincoln and Raven nod and stand next to Clarke, protectively with their swords.

Lexa steps towards the water with Octavia, Indra, Anya and Aden. She wants to see who dares to invade their home.

A man approaches them. His skin is dark and he looks rather old, probably somewhere around Abby’s age, or older. He has a white beard and something is off about him.

Lexa keeps her hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to grab it if necessary. Octavia is standing on her right, while Anya is standing on her left. Indra and Aden are standing behind her.

The stranger smiles weakly. “Hello, my name is Thelonious Jaha.” He introduces himself.

“I am the commander.” Lexa replies with a stern voice and a stoic look. “Why are you here?”

“I’m here in name of Allie. We want to unite all the islands. All you have to do is bow to Allie and accept that she is the leader.”

Lexa narrows her eyes and grips her hand tighter around the hilt of her sword, so much her knuckles turn white. “Drifters do not bow to anyone.” Her voice is cold as ice. “I am the commander, I bow to no one.” She takes a step forward. “How dare you come here and tell us to bow!?” She’s offended.

Lexa is not going to bow to anyone, especially not some stranger. She also will not agree to let her people bow to anyone. She is the commander, she leads. She is not going to bow to another leader from another island. It’s disrespectful for anyone to even suggest her or her people to bow. Does this stranger not know who the drifters are? Does the stranger not know about their reputation?

“Allie will unite all the islands. You may be a commander here, but to my people you are nothing.”

“You are trespassing on my island.” Lexa snarls. “Leave or die.”

“You will change your mind once other islands unite with us.”

Lexa holds her sword out in front of her. “Anyone who unites with you will be considered our enemy.” She looks over her shoulder. “Aden, inform Roan and let him spread word of this.”

Lexa is sure nobody would be foolish enough to make an alliance with this stranger. Anyone who allies with someone against the drifters must have a death wish. The drifters never lose. No matter which battle they encounter, the drifters always defeat their enemies. Once the word spreads, nobody will want an alliance with that stranger. If anything, more islands will seek an alliance with the drifters. Roan and his people already made an alliance with the drifters long ago. The people on Shallow Valley Island made an alliance with the drifters as well. That already pitches three islands against wherever the stranger is from.

Aden nods. “Yes, commander.”

“Allie will make every island a better place.”

Lexa points the tip of her sword at the stranger. “You are deluding yourself.” She swings her sword and slashes his arm. “Consider that a warning.”

“Have it your way. I challenge your people for a duel.”

Lexa cocks her head. “What kind of duel?”

“Five of my people against five of yours. If your people lose, your people will bow.”

Lexa tries not to laugh at that. Her people will never lose. The drifters defeated the pirates. They managed to overthrow Nia. They slayed the sea monster, Jrot. The drifters destroyed Mountain Island. There is no enemy they cannot defeat. If a duel is what this stranger wants, a duel this stranger shall get.

Lexa glares at him. “When the drifters win, you and Allie will die.” She opens her hand and makes a cut. “This is my blood oath.” She looks at the stranger. “Open your hand.”

Jaha opens his hand and holds it out. He tries not to flinch when the commander makes a cut. “If the drifters lose, you will die.”

“We have a deal.” Lexa says loudly. “Five of yours will battle against five of mine. When your warriors lose, you and Allie will die. If we lose, which will not happen, I will die.”

When the stranger is gone, Lexa gathers her people around the campfire. She holds her hands up to speak.

“Drifters, we have been challenged by new enemies. The challenge is a duel.” Lexa looks around at her people. “Five of us will fight against five of them. When we win, their leaders die. If we lose, which is not going to happen, we have to bow to them and I will die.”

Clarke gasps. They have never lost a battle so far, but she doesn’t like this. The drifters have to win. She can’t lose Lexa.

A few drifters stand up, wanting Lexa to choose them for the duel. When Lexa raises her hands, they sit down again.

“I will fight in the duel.” Lexa announces. There is no way she’d stand idly by. She looks around. She needs to select four others. “Octavia, my right hand and best warrior, you will fight in the duel.”

Octavia nods and proudly accepts.

“Aden, my brother.” Lexa calls out. “You will fight in the duel as well.”

“It will be my honor.” Aden replies while dipping his head.

Lexa pauses for a moment. She only needs to select two more.

“I want to fight in the duel.” Roan says.

Lexa shakes her head. “You are not a drifter.”

“No, I’m not, but I am your ally and your friend.”

“I have to decline your offer.” Lexa replies. “Drifters only.”

Kai stands up. “Let me fight.”

Lexa looks at Kai. “Are you sure you want to? People will die in that duel.” She has to make sure he understands how serious this is.

Kai nods.

Lexa clears her throat. “Kai will fight in the duel.”

Kai proudly holds his sword up.

Anya and Raven don’t look happy about their son wanting to fight in that duel against an enemy, especially not since the duel will be to the death.

“Anya, you will fight in the duel.” Lexa announces, selecting Anya as the last one to complete her team.

Anya is relieved that she’s been chosen. At least that way she can stay close to her son. She would die before she’d let anyone lay a finger on him.

 

* * *

 

 

Two days later Jaha returns for the duel. He has brought Allie and the rest of his people.

Lexa scoffs at the sight of them. There aren’t that many people, twenty at most. Allie is wearing a red dress. She can’t wait to smear Allie’s blood all over her red dress. How modest of Allie to wear something that will match her blood, her appearance must be important to her.

The drifters and their allies have gathered in a big circle on the beach.

Roan and his warriors will watch the enemies while the few chosen ones duel against each other.

Jaha approaches Lexa who is standing in the middle of the circle. He sees that there are four others standing next to her, including a child. “I didn’t expect you to fight in the duel.” He says while looking at Lexa.

“I am the commander.” Lexa’s voice is sharp and on edge. “I am no coward, like you.”

Jaha turns around to look at Allie who is standing on the side with his people. “Murphy.” He calls out.

A guy runs up to Jaha, joining Lexa and her four chosen ones in the circle.

Murphy scoffs. “Really Jaha, we have to fight against three girls, a boy and a child?”

Lexa draws her sword. “Watch your tongue or I will cut it.”

Lexa despises how disrespectful their enemies are. She is a warrior. Octavia, Anya, Aden and Kai are warriors too. To them Kai might look like a child, and yes he is a child, but he is so much more than that. Kai is a warrior, a promising one.

Aden feels offended. He is not a boy. He is a man and he is a warrior. He’s twenty-four, not some boy. Those strangers have no respect, they will soon learn.

Kai glares at Murphy with a murderous look on his face. He does not fear those strangers. He doesn’t fear anyone or anything.

Jaha calls out the second person he has chosen. “Finn.”

A guy with scruffy hair and a grin on his face runs up to them. Lexa hates him already. She will wipe that smug look off of his face.

“Quint.” Jaha calls out.

Quint scoffs even worse than Murphy had. “This is going to be easy.”

“In your dreams.” Anya bites back.

“Atom.” Jaha calls out.

Atom runs up to them and says nothing. He looks at Kai for a moment and then stares at Octavia.

Jaha clears his throat to call out the last one he has chosen to fight. “Emerson.”

Emerson steps into the circle. He is big, really big. He makes the drifters wonder if he’s some type of giant. He looks like a monster and he’s twice as tall as the other adults.

Jaha steps out of the circle, leaving Murphy, Finn, Quint, Atom and Emerson in it.

Clarke is standing next to Raven, Roan and Ontari to watch the duel. “Seriously? The enemy selected five men?” She whispers. “Shit that one is huge.” She feels nervous.

“I hope Kai will be okay.” Raven whispers back. “And of course I hope my wife will be okay too, and well the others too.”

“I’m a bit surprised Lexa didn’t select you, Clarke.” Ontari whispers.

Clarke knows why Lexa didn’t select her. It’s because she’s pregnant, but the others don’t know that. Not yet. There is no way Lexa would let her take the risk of fighting against an enemy while she’s pregnant. So far she can hide it by wearing loose shirts. Her stomach has only grown a bit. Eventually it will grow bigger and then she’ll have to tell the others.

Clarke laughs lightly. “You know how protective she can be.”

Lexa holds her sword up. “Let the duel begin!” She shouts loudly with a roar.

The island becomes silent. It’s like everyone is holding their breath.

Lexa points Kai towards the guy named Atom, because he looks like the easiest target. Personally she decides to take Finn on first, because she hated him the second she saw him.

Octavia selects Emerson. His clothes remind her of the enemies from Mountain Island, plus she likes a challenge. She wants to prove herself as Lexa’s best warrior.

Anya aims her sword at Quint.

Aden decides to fight Murphy, since the others already selected.

Atom gives Kai a strange look. He wonders how old the kid is. Why do these people let a child fight? That’s not okay. That shouldn’t be happening. He doesn’t want to fight a child. The child is half his height. Truthfully he’d rather not fight at all. He doesn’t agree with his leaders.

Atom holds his hands up. “Look kid, I don’t want to fight you.”

Kai kicks his foot up high and hits Atom’s upper leg. He swings his sword and Atom falls down.

Atom lands roughly on his back. He is shocked that a child made him fall. He feels a sharp pain in his arm when the child stabs him.

Kai presses his sword deeply into Atom’s arm. “Stay down or I will kill you.” He threatens.

Quint runs up to Kai, wanting to take him down. He doesn’t get far.

Anya grabs Quint by his collar. She presses her blade against his throat. “I will not let you lay a hand on my son.” She growls and slits Quint’s throat.

Lexa kicks Finn square in his chest. She hears him groan when he falls down. When he tries to get up again, she kicks him again. She plunges her sword in his heart. Was Finn supposed to be a warrior? Finn didn’t even manage to strike her once.

Aden and Murphy are in the middle of a sword fight.

Octavia is struggling to defeat Emerson. She gains some wounds.

Lexa looks around. She sees that only Murphy and Emerson are still standing. None of her people are down. She decides to help Octavia and flings her dagger at Emerson, hitting one of his legs.

Octavia manages to punch Emerson in his face, while he’s trying to pull the dagger out of his leg.

Emerson pulls the dagger out of his leg. He looks around and notices the young blonde woman, the one the leader of this pathetic island had been standing next to. That blonde must be her wife. He flings the dagger in her direction, even though she’s not in the battle. It will be payback for the brunette who threw the dagger into his leg.

Lexa sees what Emerson is doing. Her breath hitches. No, not Clarke. Her wife is pregnant, what if Emerson hits their baby!

Lexa screams and jumps, the dagger hits her in the side of her stomach.

“NO!” Clarke’s scream fills the air and freezes everyone’s blood.

Anya and Kai help Aden to defeat Murphy.

Murphy yelps when they make several cuts. He falls down with a loud thump.

Emerson is trying to strangle Octavia with his hands.

Lexa gets up. She pulls the dagger out of the side of her stomach, ignoring all the blood. She jumps on Emerson’s back and stabs his shoulder.

Kai gestures to his mother to hold her hands out so he can jump.

Anya folds her hands together. She feels Kai placing a foot in her hands and with all the strength she can muster, she gives her son a push.

Kai reaches Emerson’s arm. He stabs his dagger in Emerson’s arm and makes a long deep cut, making him drop Octavia.

Octavia falls onto the sand and gasps for air.

Emerson wildly swings his arms around, making Kai fall on top of Octavia.

Aden and Anya stab Emerson’s legs.

Lexa manages to make Emerson fall down. She stabs her sword through his throat, hearing him gurgle while choking on his own blood.

“Attack my wife and you attack me.” Lexa’s voice is icy.

Lexa looks at Anya, Octavia, Aden and Kai. They have won. It was not so difficult. Lexa and Octavia are the only ones who got hurt. Jaha and Allie made a fool out of themselves. Those five men were hardly warriors at all. Lexa looks down and sees that two of them are still alive, Murphy and Atom.

Murphy flinches when Lexa reaches him with her sword, with a look on her face that says she will kill him. “No, please, wait.”

“It is pathetic to beg.” Lexa says coolly. “Warriors do not beg for their lives. When a warrior dies, they die honorable.” She wants to spit on him. There is no honor in a warrior begging for their life.

Murphy holds his hands up. “I’m not a warrior. I don’t have to be your enemy.”

“You are our enemy.” Lexa snarls.

“I don’t have to be.” Murphy replies. “I’m sorry about earlier okay. I’ll leave and you never have to see me again.”

“This duel is to the death!” Lexa snarls.

“I don’t want to die. I’m only trying to survive.”

Lexa walks over to Atom. “What is your excuse?”

“I didn’t fight the kid okay, I would never.”

Lexa motions for Kai to stand next to her. “He is a warrior.” She corrects Atom.

Lexa holds her sword up in the air. “The drifters won the duel!” She hears her people and her allies cheer. “Jaha and Allie, step forward, now!” She commands.

Jaha gulps when he steps forward with Allie. This had been a bad idea. They are outnumbered on this island. He thought this might have been easy because he had Emerson. Until he saw that child fight, that’s when it dawned on him that this is not just some orphan island. His people lost the duel. When he saw who the commander had chosen, he really thought his people had a chance. He underestimated the commander and her people.

“On your knees.” Lexa commands.

Jaha gets on his knees and looks at Allie.

Lexa glares angrily. “I said, on your knees.”

Allie stares into Lexa’s eyes while she kneels down.

Lexa steps behind Jaha and slices his throat, a deal is a deal.

Lexa approaches Allie. “It was foolish of you to delude yourself into thinking you would be able to rule all the islands.” She slowly drags her blade over Allie’s arms, then her legs.

“We could rule together.” Allie offers. “Together we will be invincible.”

Lexa looks Allie dead in her eyes. “I am invincible.” She sees Allie’s face turn white. “There is one thing I can give you, however.”

“What is that?” Allie asks hopeful.

The corner of Lexa’s lips turn upwards. “Something to match your dress.” She says evenly. Her blade slices through Allie’s skin.

Lexa approaches Jaha’s people who had been waiting outside the circle. “Your leaders are gone. If any of you wants to fight us, now is your chance.” She is covered in her own blood and the blood of her enemies.

They all shake their head.

“Leave, now!” Lexa growls. She points towards Murphy and Atom. “Take those maggots with you.”

Atom scrambles up to his feet and walks towards Lexa. “Can I stay?”

“You want to stay?” Lexa scoffs. “We spared your life, is that not enough?”

Lexa allows him to stay after an argument.  She assigns Anya and Raven as guards to watch him. The others leave her island in a hurry.

Clarke quickly rushes to her wife. “Lexa, you’re bleeding.”

“It is not that bad, Clarke.”

“Let me bandage that for you.”

Lexa shakes her head. “Look after Octavia first.”

Octavia smiles weakly. “I’m fine, commander.”

“Octavia, I am proud of you, you fought well.” Lexa says appraisingly. “Kai, you are a true warrior.” She looks at Kai. “Well done, little one.” She looks at Aden and Anya. “It has been my honor to fight with you all.”

 

* * *

 

 

The sun is rising. Clarke grabs a loose shirt and tosses it on. She sighs deeply. “I think we should tell the drifters that I’m pregnant, it’s becoming difficult to hide it.”

Lexa nods. “We will tell them while we are eating breakfast.”

Clarke feels sick at the idea of having to eat breakfast. “I feel nauseous again.”

Lexa takes her wife’s hand. “I wish I could do something to make you feel better.”

“It’s fine, it’ll pass, just don’t talk about food.”

Together they walk outside and sit on one of the tree logs. They wait for the other drifters to join them.

Raven gives Clarke a strange look.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Clarke asks.

Raven laughs. “Your shirt is inside out.”

Clarke groans. Why didn’t Lexa tell her that?

“And it’s backwards.” Anya adds.

Lexa stands up and holds her hands up, letting them know she has something to say.

“My wife is pregnant.” Lexa announces. “When we went to civilization, we went to a hospital. There are ways for women to get pregnant.” She explains.

The drifters gasp and silent whispers follow.

“Does mommy have a baby in her tummy?” Aqua asks.

Lexa nods. “Yes.”

Blue smiles. “Are we going to get a baby brother?”

“We don’t know yet, Blue.” Clarke replies. “We’ll have to wait to find out.”

“Oh my god!” Raven shouts. “Wow, you already got six kids!”

“Soon we will have a seventh child.” Lexa says dryly.

Lexa ignores everyone’s further comments. Shortly after breakfast, she dismisses them all for various tasks.

Lexa approaches Octavia and Indra. “I want you both to guard Clarke during the days. At night I shall guard her myself.” She orders.

Indra dips her head. “Yes, commander.”

Octavia smiles and slightly dips her head. “As you wish, commander.”

Clarke is walking around on the beach with her children when she sees Octavia and Indra approaching her. It doesn’t take long for her to realize that Octavia and Indra are following her everywhere.

“Can you two stop following me everywhere?” Clarke groans.

Octavia shakes her head. “We can’t do that.”

Clarke crosses her arms. “And why is that?”

“We have orders.” Indra replies. “The commander wants us to guard you.”

“Guard me from what exactly?” Clarke sighs. “Nothing can harm me here, we’re home.”

Try as she might, Octavia and Indra continue to follow her around.

Clarke stomps her feet. “I’m not a damn cripple! I’m pregnant that’s all, I don’t need guards around me all the time!”

Indra huffs when Lexa approaches them. “Clarke is being difficult.”

“Come on Lexa, they don’t have to guard me all the time!” Clarke complains.

Lexa smiles a little. She looks at Indra. “Clarke is pregnant she is allowed to be difficult.” She kisses her wife lightly on her cheek. “I want to keep you safe, that is all.”

Clarke rolls her eyes. “Just let me do something, it’s boring if I can’t do anything while I’m being guarded at all times.”

Lexa licks her lips. “You can braid the children’s hair.”

Clarke sighs. “Fine, but without being guarded.”

Lexa nods and waits for Clarke to walk away. When her wife can’t hear her anymore, she looks at Indra and Octavia. “Stay close to her. Make sure she does not see either of you.”

Octavia laughs. “You want us to spy on your wife?”

“Yes.” Lexa admits. “If something goes wrong, help her and let me know.”

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia, Anya, Raven and Lincoln are spending a night outside, looking up at the stars in the sky.

“Anyone want to make a bet?” Raven asks.

Octavia looks at Raven. “What kind of bet?”

“We could bet whether Clarke is going to get a boy or a girl.”

Octavia nods. “Yeah sure, I’m in.”

“I bet it is going to be a boy.” Raven says, certain of herself.

“I bet the same.” Anya agrees with her wife.

Octavia shrugs. “I bet it’ll be a girl.”

“I agree with Octavia.” Lincoln adds.

“Okay well uh, if Anya and I are right, you two have to give us bananas.” Raven says. “If we’re wrong, we’ll give you two coconuts.”

Octavia offers Raven and Anya her hand. “Deal.” She shakes their hands and smiles.

Raven nudges her wife. “We’re so going to win this.”

“You’re wrong, Reyes.” Octavia whispers.  “Lincoln and I totally got this one.”

Anya laughs. “You wish.”

“We’ll see.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarke's pregnancy will end in the next chapter. Raven, Anya, Octavia and Lincoln are sneaky with their bets.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke gets her baby. This chapter is a bit explicit about child birth, but not too explicit. Read to see who wins the bet.

Clarke is groaning from the pain she’s feeling. Her water broke, just like Echo told her it would. Here she is, twenty-six years old and about to deliver a baby. She has been warned that the most painful part is yet to come, but she has been told it will all be worth it. After all the mornings of feeling sick and struggling to keep her breakfast in, she is ready to get this all over with. She can’t wait to finally be able to wake up in the morning again without being nauseous. It has been quite the ride so far.

Being pregnant did all kind of things to her. It wasn’t only the morning sickness. Her breasts have been very sensitive, to put it lightly. Lexa had stopped touching her for the most part, as if a touch would burn her. She had been sleeping on top of Lexa a lot, and at some point her wife insisted to sleep separately because Lexa was worried to hurt their baby.

She hopes that once this is over, her wife will stop being so overly protective. It has been bothering her how Lexa made sure a few guards would be around her at all times. That’s really not necessary on their island, but of course her wife had insisted, because that dork cares deeply. Lexa worries more than she’d ever dare to admit. She even noticed how Octavia and Indra have been spying on her. No doubt they did that on Lexa’s orders. Octavia and Indra are both very loyal.

Clarke has read all the baby books she has, just like her wife read them all. It’s sweet that Lexa took her time to read them all. Her wife read them all long before she read them. Despite reading all those books, she didn’t really feel that well prepared for this. The pain is worse than she thought it would be. After all the battle wounds she received throughout the years, she thought it wouldn’t be so bad. Well, she thought wrong that’s for sure. This is what she wanted, she asked for this.

Echo and Maya rush over to Clarke.

“It’s going to be okay, Clarke.” Echo whispers. “We’re going to help you.”

Lexa runs in after Echo and Maya. She orders everyone else to wait outside. Nobody else is allowed to enter their hut. She takes her wife’s hand.

Clarke squeezes her wife’s hand from all the pain she’s feeling. She knows her nails are digging into Lexa’s skin, but Lexa doesn’t say anything and she doesn’t pull her hand away.

Lexa bites her bottom lip. Her wife’s nails are digging quite deep into her skin. She rubs small circles on Clarke’s hand with her thumb.

Clarke winces at the pain of the contractions, which are becoming more frequent and more painful. “Next time you will do this.” She whispers to her wife through gritted teeth.

Lexa laughs lightly. “You asked for this, Clarke.” She kisses her wife’s cheek. “I am sorry to disappoint you, but this is not something I personally want to go through.”

Lexa has no interest to ever go through a pregnancy herself. It’s not her thing. She loves their children dearly, but going through that is not what she would ever want. This will be their seventh child. That is enough. They do not need more children. As the commander, it would not be in the best interest of her people if she were to become pregnant. It would make her vulnerable. She agreed to let her wife become pregnant because Clarke really wanted this, and she didn’t want to take that away from her wife. Anything she can give to Clarke, she will give.

Maya prepares some wet towels. There is warm water that they had heated above the campfire on the beach. They can’t use cold water for a baby, not even now that it’s a bright sunny day. A baby can’t regulate its own body temperature yet.

Echo looks at Clarke. “You need to push, Clarke.” She instructs. “Try to take deep breaths okay, in and out.”

Lexa gently squeezes her wife’s hand and breathes with her. They had practiced this before.

“I need another hand to squeeze.” Clarke pleads. “Please.”

Lexa nods. “Octavia, enter!” She calls out.

Octavia was standing outside with Indra, keeping post. She enters Clarke’s and Lexa’s hut.

“Let my wife hold your hand.” Lexa orders.

Octavia goes to stand next to Clarke and offers her a hand. She feels Clarke immediately grabbing her hand, squeezing hard and digging her nails in her skin. She bites her lip and doesn’t flinch. She will let Clarke squeeze her hand all she wants, just like she once squeezed Clarke’s hand when she was getting Emily.

Clarke proceeds to squeeze her wife’s hand and Octavia’s hand, while trying to breathe properly and trying to push her baby out. Lexa and Octavia are both breathing along with her.

“I see a head.” Echo says. “You’re doing well, Clarke.”

“Well?” Clarke scoffs. “This is horrible.”

“Try to push really hard now.” Echo instructs. “If you push hard now, your baby’s shoulders should pop out and after that it’ll be easier.”

Clarke cries out when she pushes harder.

“Yes, Clarke, that’s it.” Echo says, encouraging Clarke. “One more push and it will be over.”

Clarke bites her lip and tastes her blood, while pushing one more time. She feels exhausted.

Lexa grabs a wet cloth and dabs it gently across her wife’s forehead.

Maya hands Echo sterile scissors to cut the umbilical cord.

Clarke and Lexa look in Echo’s direction when they hear their baby cry. They would have been worried if they wouldn’t have known that, that is what’s supposed to happen.

“Congratulations.” Echo says. “You have a baby boy.”

Clarke smiles at her wife. “Do you hear that Lexa? We have another son.”

Lexa smiles back and kisses her wife. She pulls away when she hears Clarke cry out in pain. She looks at Echo. “What is happening?” She’s quite sure her wife is not supposed to be in pain anymore. “What is wrong?”

Lexa is worried. She read all the baby books Abby gave them. Her wife is not supposed to be in pain like this anymore. It’s supposed to be over. Unless something went wrong and there’s a complication. She wants to be calm for Clarke to avoid panic, but her voice is betraying her.

Echo looks confused. “I… I don’t know…this shouldn’t be happening.” She looks at Clarke. “Oh my god.” She gasps.

Clarke is close to panicking. “What is it? What’s happening to me?”

“You’re having another baby.” Echo replies, still shocked.

“I what?” Clarke gasps. “Another baby?”

“You’re going to have to push again.” Echo whispers, an apology evident in her voice.

Clarke winces from the pain. “You said it would be over.”

“I’m sorry, Clarke.” Echo takes a deep breath. “You didn’t know you were getting more than one baby?”

Clarke and Lexa both shake their head. How were they supposed to know? Clarke didn’t stay in civilization long enough to get any news. It was only when they were back home that eventually Clarke’s stomach began to grow, indicating that it had worked and that she had gotten pregnant.

Lexa is shocked. She agreed to let her wife get pregnant, thus giving them a seventh child. She didn’t count on Clarke getting twins, thus leading to having eight children. Oh my god, eight children! This is insane. The only twins on their island are their daughters, Skye and Lily. Not anymore apparently.

Octavia nearly pulls her hand away when Clarke squeezes even harder. Dammit this hurts. She knows what it’s like going through child birth, but she can’t imagine having to push out a second baby right after a first.

Maya is busy cleaning up the baby boy, while Echo is helping Clarke to get the second baby out.

Echo takes the scissors and another cry rips through the air. She looks at Clarke and smiles. “Congratulations, it’s a girl.” She wraps the girl in a towel.

“Would you like to hold your son and daughter?” Maya asks Clarke.

Clarke nods. She holds her arms open.

Echo and Maya hand Clarke her babies.

Clarke is crying tears of joy. “Look Lexa, we have a son and a daughter.”

“They are perfect.”

“They’re so tiny, Lexa.”

Lexa strokes her son’s cheek. She feels his tiny hand gripping around her finger. His grip is stronger that she thought it could be. Her heart clenches. Right now, she knows she will love him forever. When her daughter grips her tiny hand around another one of her fingers, she’s never been more in love. Tears well up in her eyes and she doesn’t stop them.

Clarke and Lexa had already talked about names before, and had already chosen a name in case it would be a girl and a name in case it would be a boy.

“They’re beautiful.” Octavia comments. “What are their names?”

Clarke smiles and looks at her son. “This is Clay.”

Lexa looks at her daughter. “And this is Summer.”

“Clay and Summer.” Octavia repeats. “I like it. It’s so you.” She winks at Clarke. “You always choose something special.”

Clarke smiles brighter. “Oh, do I?”

Octavia nods. “Yeah, you have Aqua, Blue, River, Hope, Skye and Lily. Now you have Clay and Summer. You always pick something nature like and stuff.”

Clarke looks at Clay and Summer. They don’t have much hair on their heads yet. They’re both blonde. Their eyes are brown.

“Would you like to hold one of them?” Clarke asks her wife.

“I don’t think I should, Clarke.” Lexa whispers. “They are so tiny.”

“Lexa, it’s okay. I know you will be careful and gentle. You don’t have to worry.”

Lexa sucks in a deep breath. She takes Clay in her arms and smiles down at him. Ten little fingers, ten little toes, he is perfect.

“Wait until Raven and Anya hear this.” Octavia muses. “Looks like you both ended up with eight kids after all.”

Lexa groans. “Don’t tell us you have another bet.”

“We did make a bet about the gender.” Octavia admits. “Looks like we all lost, since you got one of each. I said that it was going to be a girl, while Raven and Anya said it was going to be a boy.”

Octavia walks out Clarke’s and Lexa’s hut. She sees Raven and Anya sitting on a tree log. “You both owe me those coconuts we bet on.”

“Aw man, I really thought it was going to be a boy.” Raven groans.

“Well guess what.”

“What?”

“You two owe me those coconuts, but I owe you both those bananas.”

Raven and Anya both look confused at that.

Octavia laughs. “They have twins, a boy and a girl.”

“Oh my god!” Raven shouts. “They have eight kids now! I fucking knew they would end up with eight kids someday!”

“Wow.” Anya replies.

Indra struggles to keep Skye, Lily, Hope, River, Aqua and Blue out of the hut. They’re all eager to meet their new sibling. “Lexa, your children are trying to barge in.” She doesn’t know yet they got twins.

“Let them in, Indra.” Lexa replies.

The children enthusiastically run inside their parents’ hut.

Skye and Lily approach their mothers first. Now being seven years old, they had only gotten more curious.

“Why are there two babies?” Lily asks.

“It’s twins!” Aqua shrieks. Now being nine, her knowledge about things had been growing. “They’re twins like Skye and Lily.”

Lexa nods. “Yes, that is right.”

Hope is petting Tiger in her arms. From all the children, she walks around with their cat the most.

Clarke smiles at their children. “This is Clay and Summer, a boy and a girl.”

Skye studies them for a moment. “How come my twin is a sister when they are a boy and a girl?”

“I thought twins have to be two girls or two boys.” Lily adds.

Lexa shakes her head. “Twins could be two boys, two girls or a boy and a girl.”

Lexa is happy their newborns are a boy and a girl. They look a lot alike, and it might have been difficult to tell the difference between them if they both had been boys or both girls.

Lily looks puzzled. “Why are they so much shorter than all the other children?”

“Because they are babies.” Clarke explains. “Babies are very tiny.”

“Ophelia was very tiny too.” Aqua notes, stating a fact, thinking about Echo’s and Bellamy’s daughter.

“Oh yes, she was.” Lily replies. “I think I understand now.”

Blue and River are smiling at their baby brother.

“I like having another brother.” Blue says. “But the girls are still outnumbering us.”

“Five daughters and three sons is enough for me.” Lexa quickly says.

Clarke smiles at how fast her wife said that. “Eight is enough.” She adds, agreeing with Lexa.

Skye looks at Lily. “We’re big sisters now.”

 

* * *

 

 

Abby is sitting at her kitchen table with Kane, sipping some coffee when she hears the radio crackle. She has been waiting for this moment, waiting to hear when Clarke would go through her labor and if her new grandchild is healthy. She picks up the radio.

_“Hello Abby, it is Lexa.”_

“Hi Lexa, how is Clarke? Did she have the baby yet?”

_“Clarke is okay. Yes. Are you sitting down?”_

“Yes, I’m sitting down. Why are you asking?”

_“Remember to take deep breaths.”_

“Is something wrong?

_“No, the baby is healthy.”_

“Oh thank god, I’m so happy to hear that.”

_“The other baby is healthy too, they both are.”_

“What?”

_“Clarke had twins, a boy and a girl. We named them Clay and Summer. Congratulations Abby, you have two more grandchildren.”_

Abby spills her coffee all over her clothes. “Ei…ei…eight…eight…eight chil… eight children.”

_“Do not forget to breathe, Abby. Yes, eight children.”_

Kane looks at Abby and laughs, before getting up to get some paper towels.

_“Abby, are you still there?”_

“Eight… eight… eight.”

_“We did not know we were going to have twins.”_

“I… god, my twenty-six year old daughter has eight children. I have eight grandchildren.”

_“Clarke and I love our children dearly.”_

“I’m uh… happy to hear they are healthy. Can I visit?”

_“I will let my father know to pick you up. He should be there in a week or so.”_

“Okay good, I’ll have my bags ready by then and I’ll bring gifts for my grandchildren.”

_“Do not spoil them too much.”_

“I’m their grandmother, spoiling them is the least I can do.”

_“We will prepare a hut for you and Kane.”_

“Thank you, Lexa. Oh and, congratulations.”

_“I will let Clarke know.”_

“That’s good, honey, but I was congratulating you.”

_“Oh?”_

“Congratulations on becoming the mother of two more children.”

_“Thank you, Abby. Congratulations on becoming a grandmother again, twice.”_

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa gathers Clarke, Anya, Raven, Octavia and Aden in her hut, to talk privately. Indra is keeping post outside her hut, to warn her if anyone approaches.

“I want to move the time the conclave will take place.” Lexa announces, directly getting to the point.

“The conclave is in four years from now. You’re not going to let it take place earlier, are you?” Clarke asks, hoping the answer to that is no.

Lexa shakes her head. “I want to wait a few years longer before letting the conclave and the other tests happen.”

Clarke lets out a breath she was holding. She’s relieved to hear that. Waiting longer sounds like a good idea.

“How much longer?” Raven asks. “In four years Kai will be fourteen, and children cannot be older than sixteen to participate. So if you say a few years… well how many?”

Lexa shrugs. “I am not sure.” She knows why she wants to move the conclave and the other tests. She wants her youngest children to have a chance too.

Octavia looks at Lexa and tilts her head. “You want Summer and Clay to participate isn’t it? That’s why you want to move it, because in four years from now, they’ll only be four years old and the rules say a child has to be at least six years old to participate.” She gets it now.

Lexa nods. That’s exactly what it’s about. Summer and Clay deserve a chance too. Yes, they will be young, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t have a chance to become the next commander. It wouldn’t feel fair if only six of her eight children would have a chance to participate.

Clarke turns her face to her wife. “What? Lexa, no.”

“It is their birthright, Clarke.” Lexa sighs. “They are possible heirs. They deserve a chance to participate.”

“I understand that Lexa wants them to have a chance.” Anya says, defending her sister’s opinion. “I’m okay with moving the conclave and the other tests, so they can participate as well.”

“I’ll vote yes, but only if it’s not moved more than six years. In six years Kai will be sixteen, which means he’ll still be allowed to participate.” Raven says after she put some thought to it. “The twins will be six by then, old enough to participate.”

Raven doesn’t mind it that Lexa wants Summer and Clay to participate as well, but it can’t be moved more than six years, because by then Kai will be sixteen, which is the maximum age to participate. She’ll agree to move it as long as Kai can still be a part of it.

Lexa nods. “You may all take a vote now. If you vote yes, the conclave and the other tests will take place six years from now, instead of four years from now. If you vote no, it will take place four years from now.” She looks and lingers her eyes on her wife. “I vote yes.”

Clarke shakes her head. “I vote no.” There is no way she wants Summer and Clay to participate with all of that six years from now. A part of her hopes no six year olds will want to participate at all. She hopes all the younger children will be too intimidated by the older ones or something.

Anya takes a deep breath. “I vote yes.” She agrees with Lexa, they all deserve a chance.

“I vote yes as well.” Raven whispers.

Aden avoids eye contact with Lexa. “I know six year olds are allowed to participate, but I vote no.”

He doesn’t like the fact that six year olds can participate. Of course if it takes place in four years from now, the minimum age will still be six years old, even though Summer and Clay wouldn’t be able to participate then. He wants to believe that no child below ten or something would dare to sign up for it.

Clarke looks at Octavia. Her vote will either lead to a tie or lead to Lexa’s suggestion being final.

“I’m sorry, Clarke.” Octavia whispers. “I agree with Lexa. I vote yes.”

Clarke gets up and leaves. She stomps her feet on the way out, passing Indra who gives her a short nod to acknowledge her.

Lexa runs her hand through her hair. She will have to talk to her wife. This is probably something she should have discussed with Clarke earlier. It wouldn’t seem fair to her if only six of their eight children would be allowed to participate, it was important to move the conclave and the other tests. Truthfully she didn’t even need to vote about it, she is the commander. Her words are law.

Octavia places a hand on Lexa’s shoulder. “Clarke will come around about this.” She tries to offer some comfort. “She just worried, that’s all.”

 

* * *

 

 

“I have our children’s best interest at heart, Clarke.” Lexa whispers to her wife in their hut.

Clarke shakes her head. “How can you say that? Summer and Clay will be six when the conclave happens. Six, Lexa!” She’s upset. How can her wife do this?

Lexa decides to keep some distance. “They are our children, Clarke. They deserve a chance, like all the other children. It would not be right if the conclave would happen in four years from now without them. Making it six years gives Summer and Clay a chance.”

“How could you arrange this so fast? Is that what you’re thinking right after they have been born?” Clarke shakes her head in disbelief. “The oldest children in that conclave will be sixteen. Sixteen, Lexa! Kai will be sixteen by then! There is no way Summer and Clay will stand a chance in that conclave!”

Even if Clay and Summer turn out to be pretty decent by the time they are six, she’s not going to float around on some imaginary cloud, thinking Clay or Summer would be able to win that conclave. If anything, they would go down first because they will be the youngest and it’s doubtful that they wouldn’t be the weakest.

Lexa sighs. “The conclave is not the only thing, Clarke. I understand it is unlikely for either Summer or Clay to win the conclave. However, they may win some of the other tests.”

“They’re going to be so little during the conclave and all those other tests. If that conclave isn’t bad enough already, there is also that test where they will get dropped on an island for a week!”

Clarke really isn’t happy about this. She was already worried about her other six children, now she’ll have to worry about Summer and Clay too. Now it will all take place six years from now. Skye and Lily will be thirteen by then, which isn’t all that bad. River and Hope will be fourteen. Aqua and Blue will be fifteen. Damn it, Summer and Clay are barely a week old and she already has to worry for what they’ll be going through six years from now, all because her wife insists it is their birthright. Emily will be thirteen by then, and she’s sure Emily will be dangerous. Kai will be sixteen then, and he definitely is dangerous.

“Thank god they’re not allowed to murder each other in that conclave, but that doesn’t take away they can cut and bruise each other, or even break each other’s bones!” Clarke is angry.

She hopes in her heart when that day comes, Summer and Clay will be quick to surrender, before they suffer injuries. She wonders how her children will feel about fighting each other like that.

“The children will have a choice. They will not be forced to participate.” Lexa assures her wife. “The conclave and the other tests are optional. They have the right to decline.”

Clarke shakes her head. “What if they don’t decline? We already know our six other children have been training because they want to participate. What if Clay and Summer choose to participate with their siblings rather than to stand idly by?”

Lexa wraps her arms around her wife. “I know you are upset. I am not doing this to upset you.”

Clarke buries her face in her wife’s hair. “I know, but I’m still mad at you for this.”

“I understand.”

Clarke glares at her wife. Her cheeks are red from anger. Her eyes hurt. “I ha-” She stops herself, she can’t say it because it’s not true.

Lexa cups her wife’s cheek. “No, you don’t.” She knows Clarke doesn’t hate her.

Clarke sighs deeply and looks down. “No, I don’t.” She repeats.

Lexa gently lifts her wife’s chin up to look at her. “Everything will be okay, my love.” She sees the pain in Clarke’s eyes. “If Clay and Summer participate in that conclave six years from now, and if they get hurt rather badly and not surrender, I will pull them out myself, I promise.”

Clarke looks at her wife in disbelief. “But Lexa, that’s against the rules. The rules are that the children who participate must keep fighting until they surrender. Our people won’t like it if you pull them out if they don’t surrender. We have rules…”

“I am the rules, Clarke. My word is law.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Hi honey, I’m so happy to see you!” Abby smiles brightly and hugs her daughter.

“Hi, mom.” Clarke smiles back at her mother, who has just arrived on their island with Kane.

Lexa approaches them with Summer and Clay in her arms.

Abby looks down at the babies. “They’re perfect.” She looks at Kane. “Don’t they look perfect and healthy?”

Kane smiles. “They sure do.”

“Welcome to our island.” Lexa greets them politely.

“Oh where are my manners.” Abby whispers. “It is good to see you, Lexa. I would shake your hand, but you have your hands full.”

“Would you like to hold your grandchildren?” Lexa asks, looking at Abby and Kane.

Abby feels tears of joy well up in her eyes. “We’d love to hold them.” She carefully reaches out for Summer.

“Be careful when you hold her, mom.” Clarke whispers like a worried mother. “Support her head.”

Abby laughs heartily. “I know how to hold a baby, Clarke.” She’s amused by her daughter’s motherly concern. It’s endearing. “I have experience from when I had you.”

“Okay that’s true, but still.” Clarke replies. Sure yes, her mother has experience, but not with more than one child. “They’re very fragile.”

Kane takes Clay in his arms.

“Don’t drop them.” Lexa warns, possibly more concerned than her wife. “They’re so tiny.”

Abby can feel Clarke and Lexa watching her and Kane like a hawk. They’re amazing mothers, they really are. Their actions keep proving that.

“We brought gifts.” Kane says.

Octavia helps Clarke to put on a makeshift baby carrier. She helps Lexa to put one on as well.

Clarke gently places Clay in the makeshift baby carrier and makes sure his little head is well supported.

Lexa carefully places Summer in hers.

Abby and Kane open a suitcase that contains gifts. They grab a tennis ball. “This one is for Buddy to play with.”

Aqua accepts the tennis ball from Abby. “It’s nice you brought something for Buddy.”

“If you throw it, Buddy will run after it.” Abby explains.

Aqua nods. “I know.”

Abby takes a few pieces of technology and other things for Raven out of her bag. “This is all for Raven.”

“Woah, thanks Abby.” Raven smiles widely.

Raven nudges Monty and Atom to help her carry it all to the hut where she tinkers with things. Monty and Atom have been her assistants. It turned out that keeping Atom on the island had not been a bad idea. Atom is actually sweet and very helpful. He has some knowledge about technology, which made Raven pick him as an assistant.

Abby and Kane even brought something for Artigas and Charlotte, who had gotten married.

Roan and Ontari arrive on the island with their son, along with a few of their warriors.

“Lexa, I brought someone to give you two more tattoos, as you asked.” Roan says.

Lexa nods. “Thank you, Roan.” She looks at Octavia. “Can you take Summer for a while?”

“Yeah sure.” Octavia smiles and gently takes Summer in her arms. “Hi, Summer.” She coos.

Lexa leaves to her hut with one of Roan’s people, who will tattoo two more birds on her back, with Summer’s and Clay’s name. It’s her tradition to do this. After this, she’s sure she won’t have any space left on her back. Eight children definitely are more than enough. They didn’t plan to have eight, but that’s what happens when number seven brings a twin, thus making eight.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is sitting around the campfire with the drifters. Abby and Kane are sitting around the campfire too, as well as Roan and Ontari with their son and the few warriors they brought.

This time Lexa allowed Jasper to let the adults have some alcohol.

Raven’s music is playing, but it’s not too loud because Summer and Clay are sleeping in Clarke’s and Lexa’s hut.

Roan sits down next to Lexa. “More islands are seeking an alliance with your people and mine.”

Lexa looks at Roan. “What do you know of them?”

“One of them calls themselves Boat People. They seek an alliance. In exchange for the alliance, they want to offer you a few orphans and fish.”

Lexa nods. “I will accept an alliance with them.” More allies are always welcome, as long as they respect her and her people.

“I will send a few of my men to inform them and to bring back those orphans and the fish.” Roan replies. “There is another island, Broadleaf. They want an alliance as well. They offer a few orphans as well, and weapons.”

Lexa tilts her head. “I will accept an alliance with them as well.” She licks her lips. “Tell me something, Roan. Why is it that new allies keep offering us orphans?”

Roan laughs at her question. “It’s because the drifters have a well-known reputation about taking orphans in. They assume offering orphans shows respect and shows how sincere they are about wanting an alliance.”

Lexa nods in understanding. “Usually we only take in orphans who do not truly have a home. It is okay if other islands are able to take care of their orphans. If not, I will gladly accept them. For the sake of this alliance, I will accept the orphans. The next time someone offers an alliance, let it be known they do not need to offer us orphans.”

“I will make it known, commander.” Roan assures.

“You have done much for my people and me.” Lexa admits. “All your efforts are appreciated.”

“People are interested in allying with your people because of how grand the drifters are.” Roan explains. When Lexa cocks her head, he goes on. “Your healers are more advanced than other healers from other islands.”

Lexa nods. “That is true. Abby has taught our healers a lot, which grants us an edge compared to healers from other islands.”

“Yes, but that’s not all.” Roan continues. “You have Raven, who knows about technology and who can make bombs. No other island we know of has someone like that. Lastly, you have the greatest warriors. Your people are feared and respected at the same time.”

Ontari interrupts their conversation. “A few of our people are ready to pick up those orphans for the drifters, for the alliance.”

Roan stands up and looks at Lexa. “We will be back in a few days.”

Lexa nods. “Safe travels, my friend.”

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia is sitting on a tree log with Anya, while Raven is dancing. She has seen Anya looking at her every now and then, while smiling. It makes her curious why Anya does that. Anya doesn’t smile all that often, unless Anya is smiling at Raven or Kai.

Octavia leans closer to Anya. “Okay, so I’ve seen you staring and smiling.” She whispers in Anya’s ear. “Care to explain?”

Anya looks into Octavia’s eyes and smiles. “I was thinking.”

“What were you thinking about?”

“When we got onto this island, we had so much fun. You were the youngest one here and you were very little, Octavia. I was thinking about how I taught you to swim, and how fun it was when it was just Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Aden, you and me.”

Octavia smiles. “We really did have a lot of fun, the six of us. You were like a mother, a sister and a best friend to me all at once.” The memories only make her smile brighter. “You used to tease me and tickle me.”

“I’m proud of how far you’ve come. You used to be that little girl who couldn’t swim and who was scared of nearly everything. Now you’re Lexa’s best warrior and you’ve been kicking my ass for the last several years.”

Octavia laughs and slaps Anya’s shoulder. “It’s always a pleasure to kick your ass you’ve got a fine one.”

Anya’s jaw drops. “Now you sound like Raven.”

“I suppose Raven rubbed off on me a little.”

“I still remember when you were that eight year old little girl like it was yesterday.”

Octavia stares at Anya. “Whoa, you’re being really sentimental.” She’s not used to Anya being so open.

“I’m having a moment.” Anya shrugs. “Look at you now, all grown up, twenty-four with a husband and a seven year old daughter. You scared the hell out of me when you were pregnant.” She admits.

Octavia nods. “I know I gave you all a scare when I got pregnant at sixteen.”

“It wasn’t all that much the fact that you were sixteen. To me it was mostly that I still saw you as that little kid, the kid I tried to protect and seeing you grow up… it wasn’t easy.”

Octavia slings an arm around Anya’s shoulder. “I really grew on you, didn’t I?”

“Maybe a little.”

Octavia pokes Anya. “Come on, I know it was more than a little. You used to sing me to sleep and you tickled me a lot.”

A small tear escapes from Anya’s eye. “I’m so proud of how well you’ve grown up. In my eyes, it will always be like you were my first child, in a way.”

Octavia hugs Anya and strokes her back.

Anya relaxes in the hug. Octavia definitely grew on her throughout the years. She remembers not wanting to care about Octavia when they first got onto the island. She was never a people person, after all. When you end up on an island with a handful of people, it’s kind of impossible not to create a bound.

Raven joins their hug. “Hey babes, what’s up?”

“Just having a moment.” Octavia mumbles.

“Space for one more?” Raven asks with a smirk on her face.

Anya grasps her wife’s wrist. “For you, always.”

Lexa and Clarke watch the moment between Anya, Raven and Octavia.

“They are… hugging.” Lexa whispers in Clarke’s ear. “I didn’t think Anya would be hugging like that.”

“It’s so cute.” Clarke whispers back. “I think it is sweet how well they get along. Raven has been best buddies with Octavia for years now. When it comes to Anya, well she acts all tough, but we both know better.” She hasn’t forgotten how Anya pretty much raised Octavia.

Lexa nods. Her wife is right. Anya is a lot softer than she’d care to admit. That’s one of the many things she has in common with her sister.

Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia and Aden know each other quite a lot better than the other drifters know them, because they’ve been spending more years together. Their bound is special, unique. If things would have been different, they may have never gotten close at all.

Lexa and Anya both used to very stoic and closed off. They wouldn’t show an interest to get to know anyone.

Raven is sassy and smart. She was never picky about who to befriend, although she always had a preference to befriend people who intrigued her. Back at school when she skipped a few grades, Anya was someone who intrigued her. Most people wouldn’t be able to put up with her for long.

Clarke used to be the bright smiling kid who would easily make friends. If things would have been different, she probably would never have approached Lexa and Anya because their looks often scream ‘don’t even think about coming near me’.

Aden used to be a slightly shy timid kid. In another life, he would have probably stayed in the shadows, yet willing to help anyone who would need it.

Along with all the other drifters, they sometimes look like an unlikely bunch.

Lexa likes the way things turned out. Her wife is absolutely amazing. She has eight perfect children. She is the commander of the drifters, and successfully made allies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clarke isn't happy now that the conclave is moved, thus allowing Clay and Summer to participate. I'm thinking to make a time jump soon, possibly in the next chapter. Not six years yet though. No, there will be a few things in between before the conclave takes place. Now they're two sets of twins on their island. Quite unique, but the next chapter will reveal something...
> 
> I'm curious if anyone saw it coming that I was going to let Clarke have twins?


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More orphans arrive on the island. What if something better than twins shows up...

The drifters are eating breakfast. Abby and Kane are sitting on a tree log with Clay. Gustus and Jake are sitting on another tree log with Summer. They take turns as to who can hold their grandchildren.

"Hi, Clay." Abby coos. "You are so cute, yes you are."

"Look how tiny her hand is." Jake says to Gustus, while Summer's hand is wrapped around one of his fingers. "She has a strong grip."

Gustus smiles and nods. "She will be strong, like her mothers."

Clarke and Lexa are sitting nearby, watching closely.

“Roan is back!” Octavia shouts. She points her index finger at the sea. “Look, it’s his ship.”

Lexa and Clarke stand up. They walk towards the water with Octavia and Aden. Octavia is still Lexa’s right hand, and Aden is still Clarke’s right hand.

Roan and Ontari get off board of Roan’s ship, along with a few of his warriors, his son Hunter and children who must be the orphans from the Boat People and Broadleaf.

Lexa looks at the children. They brought seven children. Four of them look around ten or something. Three of them are little, two boys and one girl. They cling together and look much alike.

Clarke points at the three little ones. “Are those siblings?” She asks curiously.

“Triplets to be exact.” Roan replies.

“Wow, really? Triplets?” Clarke’s jaw drops. She’s never seen triplets before. “And they’re orphans?”

Roan nods. “Their mother passed away directly after giving birth to them. The healer on their island couldn’t help her, she lost too much blood.” He takes a deep breath and continues explaining. “Their father died in a battle. They’re four years old. They don’t have any other family aside from each other. The Boat people have tried to raise them for about a year now, but nobody is willing to permanently take the triplets in, and they didn’t want to separate them either.”

“It makes sense not to separate them.” Lexa replies coolly. “Siblings should always stay together.”

“The Boat People gave them to us for the drifters.” Roan looks at Lexa and Clarke. “They have heard about the commander and her wife, and their love for children. Their leader said that perhaps the both of you want to take them in as your own.”

Ontari looks at Lexa. “The Boat People thought that perhaps you and your wife wouldn’t mind taking them in to raise them.”

Clarke looks at Lexa with puppy eyes. Okay, yes they have eight children. It wouldn’t be ideal. They have their hands full raising Clay and Summer, plus their six other children.

Lexa shakes her head. “I cannot accept them as my own. My wife and I are raising eight children. There will be no more children for us. They can however, stay on our island as drifters.”

Roan nods. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t take them as your own children.” He knows they already have their hands full with their eight children.

Lexa looks at her wife. “Do not look at me like that, Clarke. We have eight children. If we take in three more, we would have eleven.”

Clarke shrugs. “I’m not doing anything.” She holds her hand up in defeat.

Lexa gives her wife a stern look. “You do not wish to give your mother a heart attack, do you?”

She hasn’t forgotten how Abby fainted when they had five children, how she dropped her coffee on her kitchen floor when they wanted more children, and how she spilled hot coffee over herself when they reached eight children. If they would adopt triplets, Abby would have a heart attack for sure, and she wouldn’t blame her for it. No, if Clarke would want to adopt the triplets, she might faint and drop down right next to Abby.

Clarke sighs. “No, of course not.”

Aden steps forward. “Ellis and I will take the triplets.” He looks at Lexa. “If that’s okay?”

Lexa shifts her eyes to look at her brother, who is now joined by his wife, Ellis. “Are you both sure you want them? Once you take the triplets as your own, they will be your responsibility.”

Lexa finds it interesting that her brother and his wife want to adopt the triplets. They don’t have any children so far. It sounds like a lot for them to take three at once.

Ellis smiles and nods at her husband.

“Yes, we are sure.” Aden says with a strong and steady voice. “Ellis and I have been talking about adopting children. Those triplets will be great.”

Lexa waves her hand. “It is settled. Aden and Ellis are now the parents of the triplets.”

“What are their names?” Clarke asks.

Roan shakes his head. “No names were given. The Boat People said the drifters are free to name them as they like.”

Aden and Ellis kneel down in front of the triplets.

Lexa can see why Ellis wanted to adopt them with Aden. The triplets have orange hair, quite similar to Ellis’ auburn hair. When they grow up, they might not question about Ellis being their mother.

Aden and Ellis whisper to each other about names. They’re both twenty-five. They felt like it was time to think about children, and they already agreed they would probably adopt two children once an opportunity would come around.

“We will name them Ace, Buck and Eva.” Aden says proudly.

Together they walk back to the drifters around the campfire.

Lexa briefly introduces the new orphans, and introduces Ace, Buck and Eva as Aden’s and Ellis’ children.

Skye and Lily curiously look at the triplets.

“Uncle Aden, are the triplets our family now?” Skye asks.

Aden nods. “Yes, they are your cousins.”

“Oh sweet more cousins for us.” Lily says with a smile. “They look cute.”

“It looks like I will have more grandchildren to spoil.” Gustus says.

Gustus thinks about how many grandchildren he has. He never would have thought he’d ever have so many. His oldest daughter, Anya has one child, Kai. His youngest daughter, Lexa has eight children. Aqua, Blue, River, Hope, Skye, Lily, Summer and Clay. Not in a million years would he ever have guessed Lexa would have so many children. Now his son, Aden has the triplets, thus leaving him with twelve grandchildren.

Roan’s warriors put the fish and the weapons aside that the new allies offered for the alliance with the drifters.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke is sleeping in her wife’s arms when she hears Clay and Summer cry. It startles her and wakes her up.

Lexa gets up along with her wife. She would offer for Clarke to sleep while she looks after Clay and Summer, but she knows that her wife needs to feed them. They wake up each night to be fed.

Clarke feels tired. This is tougher than she thought it would be, but that’s also because she had twins.

When Clarke is done feeding Summer and moves on to feed Clay, Lexa takes Summer in her arms and sings her to sleep. She hears some noise outside her hut. She decides to step outside to see who it is.

“Octavia?” Lexa whispers. “What are you doing here?”

“I was walking around.” Octavia whispers back. “Sometimes at night I keep post here.”

“You should sleep.”

“I do, no worries.” Octavia smiles a little. “It’s not just me, I take turns with others.”

“Why did I not know about this?” Lexa is surprised. She didn’t order her people to do this.

“Lincoln is your cousin and I’m his wife, so when I can, I look out for your children.” Octavia shrugs her shoulders. “Lincoln stands here too sometimes, so do Indra, Anya and Raven. In case an enemy approaches, your eight children might be a target.” She points a bit in the distance. “I think Anya is currently keeping post at the hut of your six older children.”

Lexa hugs Octavia. “That is sweet.” She whispers.

Clarke looks at her wife when Lexa finally slips back in their hut. She just finished putting Clay to sleep next to Summer.

Lexa kisses her wife’s lips tenderly. “Octavia is outside.”

“Oh okay.”

Lexa reaches her hand out to tuck away a strand of her wife’s hair. “You should get some sleep, Clarke.” She knows Clarke is tired.

Clarke takes her wife’s hand. “Join me?”

Lexa nods. Of course she’ll join her wife.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa, Octavia and Anya are training some of the children. They train the ones who are promising to become warriors and the ones who seem willing to participate in the conclave and the other tests. They still have six years left to train them.

Raven, Monty and Atom are in Raven’s workshop hut with a few children who seem interested to learn what Raven can do. Raven is happy to have her own special class.

Clarke is walking around with Clay and Summer. She’s spending time with Echo and Maya, the other healers on their island. Abby is with them as well, along with a few children who say they want to become healers. They have their own little class. Now that Abby is visiting, she takes the time to teach the healers new things.

Lexa likes the way they are different classes, depending on what the children will be. She did make it a rule that all the children have to learn at least the basics of everything. Other than that, the children are free to choose what they want to do the most.

Hope tries to split her time between learning to be a healer and learning to fight. She wants to please both her mothers.

Roan and Ontari approach Lexa. “Would you mind it if Hunter trains with the children?”

Lexa shakes her head. “Not at all, Hunter may join.”

“I want Ace, Buck and Eva to train too.” Aden says. “Perhaps they will want to participate in the conclave six years from now.”

Lexa looks at the triplets. They’re four years old. If they train now, they could be ready for the conclave in six years from now, when they will be ten. She plans to train Summer and Clay when they turn four, which will give her two years to train them.

Lexa gestures her hand towards the children in front her. She stands aside with Octavia, Anya, Roan and Ontari.

“Correct them when needed.” Lexa commands.

Skye and Lily are fighting together as one, like they always do. They’re battling against Kai and Emily who teamed up together against them. They fight as well as they can, but they’re no match for Kai and Emily.

Ontari points at the twins. “Are they still fighting together?”

“Yes.” Lexa replies. “They are very close.”

“They do know that in the conclave only one can win, right?”

Lexa nods. They know. The children are aware.

Octavia whispers in Anya’s ear. “I bet either Kai or Emily is going to win that conclave.”

Anya smiles and whispers back. “It’s possible that one of them will, but the children still have six years left to train. Lexa’s kids might improve a lot by then.”

“Hmm.” Octavia thinks about it for a moment. Anya is not wrong. “You’re right they could get a lot better by then.”

“River, your moves are too predictable.” Lexa points out.

“Hope, you’re not placing your hands right.” Octavia notes. She walks over to Hope and corrects her. “That will be better.”

Lexa grabs two sticks. She waits for the children to stop. “Skye and Lily.” She calls out. She hands the twins the sticks. “Fight.”

“But mama…” Lily groans. “Skye is my twin.”

“Yeah mama, we fight together.” Skye adds. “Not against each other.”

“In the conclave you will have no choice.” Lexa says coolly. “If you wish to participate, you will have to fight each other.”

Skye and Lily know they have to do what their mother says. Skye sweeps Lily off of her feet with her stick. Lily jumps back up and strikes back.

Lexa wants to train them more, better and harder. The children have to be ready for the conclave. Six years sounds like a lot of time, but they have to be great. The next commander will not be selected based upon a child knowing how to use some sticks. No, the next commander will have to be great. The child who makes it through the conclave and the other tests in the best way has to elevate above her. If the drifters think the conclave would be the toughest part, they will have to think again.

Lexa and her special elite team have not revealed the other tests to anyone. There is a secret catch about the conclave. Her people are unaware of that catch, and they will remain unaware of it until that day arrives. The conclave is more than about the children fighting each other. She understands why her wife is so upset about Clay and Summer being able to participate because they will be six by then. She has been planning more details with Octavia.

 

* * *

 

 

Abby stares at Clarke with her jaw dropped, shocked about what her daughter just told her.

“I knew you wouldn’t agree with it either.” Clarke says.

Abby closes her mouth and thinks about what to say. “Lexa is really going to let Clay and Summer fight when they are six?”

Clarke nods. “Yeah, I’m not happy about it.”

“If you want you can come live with me with your children.” Abby offers. “They can have a different life. They don’t have to go grow up like this.” She gestures her hands around. “They don’t have to climb trees, spear fish and fight.”

“Mom, this island is our home.”

“If you would live with me with the children, the children would be able to simply be children.” Abby retorts. “They’re not supposed to climb trees and spear fish and fight. If they live with me, they’ll never have to climb a tree ever again to get fruit. They’ll never have to spear fish ever again to eat. They wouldn’t have to fight and battle. At my place they could play, like they should do. I can give them toys to play with. They’re children, they need toys, not knifes and swords. I could let them go to school. Maybe they could become doctors.”

“Mom, stop.” Clarke sighs deeply. “I don’t agree with six year olds being able to participate in the conclave, but that doesn’t mean that this island wouldn’t be our home. This island is our home. It always will be. The children learn things here. I don’t want them to live in civilization. They don’t even like it there.”

“What kind of life do you want for your children, Clarke? War or peace?”

Clarke groans. “We have peace, mom!”

Abby crosses her arms. “Then why is Lexa organizing a conclave?”

“I shouldn’t have told you about the conclave.” Clarke regrets informing her mother about it. “If I’d have known you would react this way, I wouldn’t have told you.”

“Kane and I will be sailing back home later today. You can come with us with your children.”

Clarke shakes her head. “I’m not going anywhere and neither are my children. Besides, they’re Lexa’s children too.”

Abby feels like begging Clarke to accept her offer. “So take Lexa with you as well. Your life doesn’t have to be the way it is right now.”

“I thought you accepted that this island is my home, my wife’s home and my children’s home.”

Abby sighs. “I know I accepted that, but that was before I knew about the conclave.”

Clarke turns around and ignores her mother. “Harper, Monroe, help my mother to get her bags.”

“Sure thing, Clarke.” Harper replies.

Abby gently squeezes Clarke’s shoulder. “If you change your mind, you’re always welcome. It doesn’t have to be like this, don’t forget that.”

 

* * *

 

 

Four years have passed.

Clarke didn’t take Abby’s offer, and she’s not planning to take it. This island is their home. Her children are growing up here. Summer and Clay are four years old now. The drifters love them. Summer and Clay have a close twin connection, just like Skye and Lily have a close twin connection. Now that Summer and Clay are four years old, they have been training. She hasn’t been a fan of that, but it is better to train them so they can be prepared rather than not training them at all.

Now being thirty years old, her motherly concern has only grown stronger. Her children are healthy, which is good news. Her eldest children, Aqua and Blue are thirteen years old now. They’re growing up so fast. They have gotten better when they fight. River and Hope are twelve. River has gotten a lot better at fighting. Hope is still a peaceful child who is not a fan of fighting. She has noticed that Hope has an interest to possibly become a healer. Despite that, Hope is still set on participating in the conclave. Two more years to go, she’s already holding her heart for it.

Skye and Lily are eleven. Their skills have improved. Together they are good. Separately they are a bit weaker. The drifters rumor that Skye looks like a young version of Clarke, thanks to her blonde hair and blue eyes, and that Lily looks like a young version of Lexa, thanks to her brown hair and green eyes.

With the help from her wife, Clarke taught Summer and Clay how to swim. Currently the twins are still learning how to climb trees, spear fish and how to fight. Two more years, that’s all they have left.

Anya still carves into a tree every day, to keep track of time, even though Raven has tools for it. It’s a habit she doesn’t want to break. Their son, Kai is fourteen now. He has been getting really good. Lexa often lets him battle with the adults because the children are too easy for him.

Octavia has been spending more time to train her daughter, Emily who is now eleven. Emily has been showing amazing progress. The drifters rumor and bet on either Kai or Emily to win the conclave. They still have two more years.

Bellamy and Echo decided Ophelia will not be training to become a warrior. Instead, Echo will train their daughter to become a healer, like her.

Their peace still stands. They have created a strong alliance with a few other islands. Throughout the last four years, more islands sought out an alliance with the drifters, which Lexa accepted.

One sad day the drifters went through was losing Buddy, their dog. Buddy had been getting old. It was difficult to explain to the children that dogs don’t live as long as humans do. The children worry about their cat, Tiger, knowing that the time is limited for Tiger as well.

Gustus had offered to bring them a new dog, but Lexa had declined, deciding that the children didn’t need to lose more pets. A new dog would eventually age too. Death is inevitable.

Aden’s triplets, Ace, Buck and Eva are eight years old. Their skills have been developing. They refer to Aden as their father and to Ellis as their mother. They believe Aden and Ellis truly are their parents. They have seen a few drifters adopting children, and told their parents how lucky they feel to have real parents. Nobody dares to let them know they have been adopted. There is no point in telling them. The triplets do not need to know their biological mother died after giving birth to them and that their father died in a battle.

Clarke and Lexa are standing on the beach, keeping an eye on their children. They see Hope walking hand in hand with Rosie, collecting shells together. Hope had really surprised them a year ago, when she proudly announced that Rosie is her girlfriend. Clarke and Lexa didn’t expect that at eleven years old, Hope would tell them she likes girls and has a girlfriend. A year later, Hope is still together with Rosie.

Raven and Octavia have been teasing Clarke and Lexa, about how Hope and Rosie might break their record. Clarke and Lexa were twelve when they got together, and they never split up. Hope and Rosie were eleven when they got together. If they stay together, they will have to record for the youngest drifters to get together and stay together.

Clarke and Lexa are happy for their daughter. Rosie is a peaceful child, like Hope. Rosie has been training to become a healer. Rosie arrived on their island as an orphan three years ago. Harper and Monroe adopted her. She became instant friends with Hope and for the last year they have been together.

What Clarke and Lexa don’t like so much is Aqua’s love interest. Their thirteen year old daughter has been hanging around with Hunter, Roan’s and Ontari’s twelve year old son. They haven’t forgotten the fact that Hunter had a brief relationship with Lily and one with Skye. Neither one of them lasted long nor was either of them serious, but still. 

Clarke and Lexa thought they’d have more time before their children would even think about relationships. Hope’s relationship with Rosie has made their friendship with Harper and Monroe stronger.

 

* * *

 

 

“On my island we have a certain tradition.” Roan says with a serious tone. “It’s a very important one.”

Lexa tilts her head and looks at Roan. “What is the tradition you speak of?”

“It is tradition that when there is a princess, men can battle against each other. The best one would win the princess’ hand.” Roan replies. “I have a son. When there is a prince, things are different.” He looks at Lexa. “Hunter claims to have found the girl who he wants to become his princess.”

“You are telling me your twelve year old son knows who he wants to marry?” Lexa keeps her voice calm, not wanting to mock the traditions of Roan’s people.

“That is what it spirals down to, yes.” Roan takes a deep breath. “Because he is a prince, it is tradition for him to ask someone’s hand and to give a gift to the parents of the woman he chooses.”

“I see.” Lexa licks her lips. “This tradition means a lot to your people, correct?”

Roan nods. “That tradition means as much to my people as the blood oath means to yours.”

“You say Hunter has chosen.”

“Yes, he has and that’s why I’m here.” Roan admits.

Lexa wonders if she’s going to like the answer. She has a feeling she won’t. “Speak true.”

Roan takes a deep breath. He tried to reason with Hunter about this, but his son is stubborn. “Hunter wants Aqua.” His voice is barely a whisper.

Lexa’s nostrils flare up. “Your son wants to marry my daughter?” She clasps her hands behind her back.

Roan can see Lexa’s stoic mask slipping on. “Eventually, yes. When he turns eighteen, he wants to marry her. When I’m no longer king, Hunter will be king and Aqua will be his queen.”

Lexa holds one hand up to silence Roan. “No.”

“Lexa, the tradition-”

Lexa cuts him off. “Go float your tradition.”

“Hunter wants to ask Aqua’s hand. Once he is eighteen, he will marry her if she says yes and if you and Clarke say yes.” Roan narrows his eyes. “You can’t tell me to go float my tradition.”

Lexa takes a step closer to Roan. “Humor me and go talk to Clarke about this.”

Roan clenches his fist. “Fine, I will talk to Clarke. We have been friends for years, she’ll understand.” He storms off in Clarke’s direction.

Lexa follows him and keeps a short distance. She listens as Roan explains it to Clarke.

Clarke’s eyes widen when Roan stops talking.

“It’s tradition.” Roan says, once again while looking at Clarke. “Tradition is important.”

“You want my thirteen year old daughter to be engaged to your son!?”

“Clarke, the tradi-”

“I’ll tell you where you can put that tradition of yours!!” Clarke shouts angrily. “Aqua is my daughter! Mine!” She growls. “You are not taking her anywhere.”

Clarke grabs a bowl of cranberry juice and pours it over Roan’s head. She punches Roan’s jaw and walks away.

Lexa leans against a tree and crosses her arms. “My wife never disappoints me.” A smile tugs at her lips.

Clarke stalks over to her wife. “Lexa, did you hear about Roan’s tradition!?” She’s still seething.

“Yes, and I told him to go float his tradition.”

Clarke shifts her eyes between Roan and her wife. “I have a plan.” She whispers in her wife’s ear.

Lexa listens closely to her wife’s plan and agrees.

Roan is rubbing his jaw when Clarke and Lexa approach him.

“You can keep your tradition.” Lexa announces. “We do have one condition.”

Roan looks at Lexa. “What’s your condition?”

“Aqua is my daughter.” Lexa says with a serious tone in her voice. “My condition is that whoever wants her hand will have to battle for it.”

Roan rubs his beard. “Hmm yes, it sounds a lot like my people’s tradition where men would battle for the hand of a princess.”

Lexa nods. “Hunter will have to battle if he wants her hand.”

“It’s settled, my son will battle. Who will he be battling against?”

“Me.”

Roan shakes his head. “That’s not fair. You’re the commander. You’re the best warrior on this island. Hunter is a boy.”

“If he cannot defeat me, he is unworthy of Aqua’s hand.”

“That is not fair and you know it!” Roan shouts. “I can’t even defeat you!”

“I will offer you a deal.” Lexa says while glaring at Roan. “The conclave is in two years from now. Hunter may enter the conclave, only the conclave, not the other tests. If by any chance Hunter wins the conclave, he may ask for Aqua’s hand. However, Aqua will have the right to decline.”

Roan holds his hands out. “Fine, I will accept. You make it sound like you don’t want any of my people to be with one of yours.”

“You are not entirely wrong.” Lexa admits. “The woman to wed Hunter will live on your island, yes?”

“Yes, because Hunter is the prince and he will be king someday.”

“Then you understand why.” Lexa would rather die before letting any of her children leave.

Ontari laughs from behind Roan. “I told you this was a bad idea, Roan.” She gives him a towel for the cranberry juice.

Lexa knows that Hunter will not stand a chance in the conclave. There will be many children participating. There is no way he can take them all down. Since Hunter is not a drifter, it is likely the children will attack him first. When Aqua is old enough, she can make her own decisions. She will not set her daughter up in an arranged marriage.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven is setting her boom box ready. Lexa has given her permission to arrange a party. She turns the volume up and the music rips through the air.

Hope is dancing with Rosie. They both giggle when they kiss.

“Awe look, Lexa.” Clarke nudges her wife. She’s melting at the adorable sight. “They’re so cute.”

Lexa chuckles lightly and takes her wife’s hand.

Octavia is dancing with Lincoln. It’s a strange sight because Emily is sitting on Lincoln’s shoulders.

Raven flushes her body against Anya’s body. “Dance with me, babe.”

Anya kisses her wife and snakes her arms around her waist. “I like it when you dance.” Her eyes rake over Raven’s body.

“Can you believe that it’s been twenty years since the storm?” Clarke whispers shocked in her wife’s ear. “It’s been so long, but it doesn’t feel that long. You have been mine for eighteen years.”

“I am yours as you are mine.” Lexa kisses her wife.

Clarke tongue spins around her wife’s tongue. For a moment they forget everything around them. Their soft lips crash while their tongues explore.

Lexa is captivated by the little blue dress her wife is wearing. Clarke is absolutely stunning. Every part of her needs, wants and desires her wife. She leans in and tilts her head slightly, in the process her nose bumps lightly against Clarke’s.

Clarke’s eyes flutter shut. Her lips ghost over her wife’s, before pressing them firmly against Lexa’s. She pulls back for a brief moment, only for an inch or two.

Lexa feels her wife’s breath against her lips. There’s a lingering feeling that makes her want to kiss Clarke, so she gives in to it. Even with her eyes closed, she easily finds her wife’s lips. She gently nibbles at Clarke’s bottom lip.

Clarke and Lexa are so lost in their kiss that they are forgetting where they are right now. The campfire casts a glow. Anyone who looks in their direction can see them kissing each other.

The drifters are used to seeing them kiss. All the couples on their island often share kisses. Nobody ever makes a big deal out of it.

Lexa pulls away and sees that Skye and Lily are kissing their hands. “What are you two doing?”

“We are practicing for our first kisses.” Skye replies matter-of-factly.

Clarke chuckles lightly at the wide-eyed look on her wife’s face. “At least they’re not practicing on boys.” She quickly adds. “Or girls.”

“Oh we should try that!” Skye shouts excitedly. “Lily, we have to go find someone to kiss.”

Clarke’s face pales. “No girls wait, it was not a suggestion.”

Skye looks up at her mother. “When will I have a girlfriend?”

“You want a girlfriend?”

Skye nods. “Hope has one and I want one too.”

“You will meet someone.” Lexa assures her daughter. She sees her wife glaring at her. “When you are older, of course.”

“But mama, Hope was eleven when she got together with Rosie.” Skye crosses her arms. “I’m eleven and I want someone.”

“I like Monty’s and Miller’s daughter.” Lily says with a smile on her face.

Clarke stares at Lily. “You like Minty?” She knows Monty and Miller adopted a girl.

“Oh I like her too.” Skye agrees with her twin sister. “Minty is cute.”

“Minty is eight.” Lexa notes.

Skye smiles brightly. “Minty is going to be my girlfriend someday.”

Clarke raises her eyebrow. “What if Minty likes boys?”

Skye shakes her head. “That’s impossible.”

“Why is that?”

“Because her parents are gay, so she will be gay too.” Skye explains. “You and mama are gay, Hope is gay. Rosie’s parents are gay and Rosie is gay. I’m gay.”

Clarke and Lexa burst out laughing. Raven, Anya and Octavia join their laughter because they overheard.

“It’s not funny!” Skye shouts.

Clarke kneels down. “We’re sorry sweetie, but that’s not how it works. When parents are gay, it doesn’t mean their children will be gay too. You can like anyone you want.”

“Okay mommy, I understand.” Skye whispers. She turns around and looks at Lily. “Fingers crossed that Minty will be gay because I’m into her.”

“We could burn one of mama’s candles to hope for it.” Lily suggests.

Lexa’s head snaps in their direction. “What did you say about my candles?” She had been getting candles from her father and she likes them.

Skye tries to give her mother the most innocent look she can manage. “Oh nothing, mama. Lily said that you have pretty candles.”

Lexa looks at her wife. “I wonder who they get that from.”

Clarke fakes being offended. “What? I would never.”

“Clarke, you burned ten of my candles a few nights ago.” Lexa deadpans. “Ten of my candles. My candles, Clarke.”

Clarke shrugs. “It was an accident.” She sees her wife glaring at her. “I wanted to burn one and before I knew what was happening, nine more began to burn.”

“Oh and it has nothing to do with you lighting ten of my candles?”

Clarke stares at the sand. “Of course not.” She walks over to Skye and Lily and whispers in their ear. “When mama is sleeping we can sneak out with one of her candles.”

Lexa’s eyes are glued to her wife, her well-trained ears are listening. “What did you say, Clarke?”

Clarke turns around, her cheeks blushing, feeling busted. “I said eh… when you are sleeping we can sneak out with one of your sandals.”

“Here I was, thinking you were going to sneak out with one of my candles.” Lexa whispers. “Of course sneaking out with one of my sandals makes much more sense. People do have a habit of wearing one sandal. It appears to be the new hype.”

Raven laughs loudly. “Lexa, I think I just fell in love with you.”

Anya elbows her wife and laughs along.

Clarke is staring at her wife with her mouth hanging open. “Lexa, did you just…? Are you sassing me?”

“Why Clarke, what do you mean?” Lexa’s voice is husky. “That one particular sandal appears to be very comfortable. After all, drifters do adore shoes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are all cute dorks. Now Aden has kids too, three at once ha. Harper and Monroe have a daughter, Monty and Miller have a daughter. So many kids... the conclave is closing in.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I apologize in advance for the banana.

Clarke is sitting on the beach with Skye and Lily. She had sneaked out of her hut with one of her wife’s candles.

“I hope Minty will like me back.” Skye whispers.

“Do you want to tell me what you like about her?” Clarke asks.

Skye smiles and starts explaining. “Minty is really cute. Her black hair is really pretty and she has cute little freckles. I like that I’m a head taller than her. She’s really sweet and always shares her berries with me.” She looks at her mother. “Is it bad that Minty is younger than me?”

Clarke shakes her head. “No sweetie, that’s not bad. Three years is not bad.”

“This candle is pretty.” Lily whispers while looking at the candle that’s burning.

“I agree.” Lexa’s voice interrupts their conversation. “My candle is pretty.”

“Oh would you look at that.” Clarke whispers. She points at the candle. “I have no idea how this got here.”

“It must have been your twin I saw sneaking out of our hut then.” Lexa whispers back. “That is an interesting sandal, by the way.”

Skye whispers in Lily’s ear behind her hand, as if that would stop her mothers from hearing her. “Our mommies are so silly.”

Clarke cocks her eyebrow. “Oh we’re silly now are we?” She brings her hand to her mouth and kisses it, mimicking her daughters who had kissed their hands earlier that night to practice.

“Very mature, Clarke.” Lexa groans disapprovingly. 

Clarke chuckles and stops. “Tickle monster it is then.” She looks at her wife. “After you, milady.”

Lexa playfully bows. “It will be my pleasure.”

Skye and Lily jump up and run around.

“I told you they are silly!” Skye shouts at Lily.

“Shhh Skye, we have to run!” Lily shouts back. “They are coming after us!”

Lexa grabs Skye and tickles her.

“Save yourself, Lily!” Skye shouts out to her sister.

“I’m never leaving you behind, Skye!” Lily runs up to Lexa and tries to tackle her.

“Clarke, help.” Lexa pleads.

Clarke puts her hands on her knees and laughs. “Nope, you got this.”

Lexa mutters when Skye and Lily tackle her to tickle her. “Clarke, please.” She tries to breathe properly while she’s being tickled. “If you help me, I will forgive you for taking one of my candles.”

“Hmm, interesting offer.” Clarke licks her lips. “Will you also forgive me about those other ten I burned a few nights ago?” She puts her hands on her hips and waits for an answer.

“Yes, I forgive you, Clarke.”

Clarke runs up to her wife and plucks the twins off of her. She loves her family, she really does.

“Go to your huts, girls.” Lexa calmly orders. “It is late.”

“Okay, mama.” Skye and Lily whisper in defeat.

Lexa opens her arms. “Do not forget my hug.”

Skye and Lily run up to both their mothers and hug them.

Lexa presses a tender kiss on their forehead. “Goodnight, my little angels.”

“Sleep well, sweeties.” Clarke whispers. She kisses their cheeks.

Lexa waits for Skye and Lily to disappear in their hut. She extends one hand to her wife.

Clarke smiles and slips her hand in her wife’s hand.

Together they walk around on their beach and listen to the waves at sea. Their nights are peaceful and calm. They walk up to the water, letting is wash over their feet. It’s a bit cold to the touch, but not bad. At night the water at sea is always slightly colder than it is during the days.

Clarke tugs at the hem of her shirt.

Lexa’s eyes follow her wife’s motions. “Clarke, what are you doing?” She lowly hisses.

“I’m going to go skinny dipping.” Clarke pulls her shirt over her head and drops it onto the sand. “Join me, Lex. It’ll be fun.”

Lexa’s mouth runs dry when her wife continues stripping in front of her, until Clarke is fully nude.

A playful smirk appears on Clarke’s face. “I’m waiting for you, Lex.”

“What if someone catches us?”

“You’re not shy, are you?” Clarke makes her way into the sea. She shiver a little when the water reaches up to her waist. “It’s dark anyway.”

Lexa looks around for a moment, making sure nobody else is around. She makes quick work of taking her clothes off and tossing them onto the sand.

Clarke holds her hand out with the palm of her hand upwards. She curls her index finger and motions for her wife to approach her. Lexa is breathtaking. She needs her wife to kiss her, so Lexa can share the air from her lungs, or even better, so her wife can take her breath away even more.

Lexa enjoys it when her wife is being flirtatious. Skinny dipping is risky, because someone might catch them. At the same time that makes it all the more exciting. The adrenalin is rushing through her body. She steps deeper into the water and approaches her wife.

Clarke wastes no time and moves her hands up her wife’s body. She kisses Lexa’s neck and her teeth graze over her wife’s smooth skin.

Lexa lets out a moan and bites her bottom lip. She feels her wife’s hot breath against her skin. Suddenly the water doesn’t seem so cold anymore.

Clarke continues to kiss her wife’s neck. She puts one hand at the small of Lexa’s back. Her other hand trails down her wife’s body.

Lexa gasps when one of her wife’s hand slides between her thighs. She whimpers when Clarke brings her hand to her mouth and licks her finger. Electricity spreads throughout her entire body. She has never done this with her wife, not here at least. They have done many things in their hut, in the cabin of her father’s ship, in Abby’s guest room, on the beach, even in the river, but never in the sea.

Lexa wonders why Clarke didn’t wait to do this in their hut. Clay and Summer sleep in a hut with their six other children, not with them anymore. The privacy in their hut has returned. She cups her wife’s cheeks and kisses her jaw, near Clarke’s mouth.

“Clarke, we should go to our hut so we can finish this.”

Clarke shakes her head and licks her lips. “We should stay here.”

“Clarke…”

Clarke kisses her wife. She parts her lips, allowing entrance for Lexa’s tongue.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, Clarke, Lexa, you two sleeping?” Raven whispers from outside their hut.

“Raven, why are you here?” Lexa asks.

“Come outside you two.” Raven says, a bit louder this time.

Clarke and Lexa grumble a bit when they step aside. They were hoping to have a peaceful night where they could get plenty of rest. Last night they didn’t sleep much, thanks to their skinny dipping adventure.

“Why do you want us to be outside?” Clarke asks, slightly grumpy.

Raven smirks at them. “The gang is waiting for you two around the campfire. It’ll be just like old times, come on.” She gestures with her hand for them to follow her.

“The gang?” Lexa questions.

“Yeah you know.” Raven waves her hand. “Octavia, Anya, Aden, you two and me.”

“Whose idea was this?” Clarke is surprised someone planned this or something.

Raven winks at them. “Take a wild guess.” She nudges them. “Come on, they’re waiting.”

Clarke laughs. “Did you drag Octavia and Aden out of their huts too?”

“I might have.”

“You could have told us during the day.” Lexa points out.

Raven shrugs. “I came up with this idea a moment ago.”

Clarke and Lexa see Octavia sleepily rubbing her eyes.

“Oh cool, you got them here.” Octavia pipes up and looks at Clarke and Lexa.

“Told ya I’d get them here.” Raven gives Octavia finger pistols and a cocky smile. “I’m the best.”

Anya pulls her wife down next to her.

Clarke and Lexa sit down to join them.

“We’re gonna play truth or dare.” Raven announces.

Lexa groans. “Are you sure we should be playing that game?”

“We definitely should.” Raven whispers. “Come on scaredy-cat.”

“Fine.” Lexa surrenders.

Octavia hands Clarke and Lexa a cup. “It’s cranberry juice.” When they give her a pointed look, she adds. “It’s not spiked, I swear.”

Clarke sniffs the cup before carefully sipping from it. When she’s sure it’s not spiked, she takes another sip.

“Geez, such little trust.” Octavia mutters.

Raven looks around. “Octavia, you’re the youngest so you can have the first turn.”

“Hmm.” Octavia shifts her eyes around. “Anya, truth or dare?”

“Dare.”

“Okay so you know that razor we have to shave our legs?” Octavia smiles bashfully when Anya nods. “I dare you to shave Aden’s legs.”

Aden’s eyes widen at the mention of that. He mutters when he stretches his legs out in front of him for Anya to shave them.

Anya cringes slightly while shaving her brother’s legs. “Clarke, truth or dare?”

“Uh, truth.”

“What is your most embarrassing memory?”

Clarke gulps audibly. “My most embarrassing memory?  Uh, let me think…well uh, one night I drank a bit too much. I was topless and wanted to surprise Lexa. Instead I walked in Monty’s and Miller’s hut. I think they still have nightmares about that night.”

Lexa’s jaw drops. “You never told me this, Clarke.”

“Because I felt completely ashamed! It was really awkward! Especially because I stumbled in their hammock with them!”

Raven high fives her wife for asking Clarke that question. She barks out a laugh.

Clarke glares at Raven. “Raven, truth or dare?”

“Hit me up with a dare.”

“I dare you to put on a show with a banana.”

“You’re gonna regret this.” Raven nearly promises. “I’ll make you all gag, well maybe not Octavia, but the rest of you will gag.”

Octavia slaps Raven. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”

Raven smirks. “You’ll see.” She grabs a banana.

Clarke quickly realizes that Raven had been right that she’d regret this. Raven is doing very strange things to that banana.

Raven kisses the banana and slides it in and out of her mouth, slowly while licking around it.

Lexa feels like she might hurl. “I will never see a banana the same way ever again.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever eat a banana again.” Aden adds.

Raven smiles proudly. “Lexa, truth or dare?”

After what Raven did, she’s not sure if she should take risks. What would be worse? Truth or dare? She’s not sure. In Raven’s case, both can be equally bad. “Dare.”

“I dare you to pin Octavia down onto the sand and stare into her eyes for a minute. I’ll count to sixty.”

Lexa tilts her head and with her eyes she’s asking if Raven is serious, but of course Raven is serious.

Octavia scowls at Raven. This is not fair of Raven, she’s supposed to be her best friend. Raven is full aware of the confused feelings she had towards Lexa in the past, which they all worked out. This whole staring thing will be weird.

Lexa pushes Octavia down onto the sand. She feels awkward when she straddles Octavia’s hips and pins Octavia’s hands above her head. She locks her eyes with Octavia’s. She can hear Octavia gulp. They’re too close. She’s usually never this close to anyone who isn’t her wife.

Raven amusedly watches and counts antagonizing slow, on purpose, earning her a smack against the back of her head from Clarke.

They all feel the tension, it’s very apparent, so much they can cut it with a knife.

Lexa’s lips feel dry. She runs her tongue over them to wet them. She tries not to shiver when Octavia’s eyes drop down for a split second to follow the quick movement of her tongue. She is going to kill Raven after this. This game feels as if they’re teenagers again.

Octavia feels her breath hitching in her throat. Lexa’s eyes have darkened. It must be due to it being night, and the campfire doesn’t give them that much light.

“Sixty!” Raven calls out.

Lexa gets up and holds her hand out to Octavia. With a strong grip, she pulls Octavia up.

“Aden.” Lexa chooses. “Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“If you had to describe to us in detail how your legs feel right now, what would that description sound like?”

Aden smiles and runs his hands over his legs. “My legs feel amazingly smooth, soft and silky. They have been carefully shaved. It feels like someone is trying to rip the skin off of my legs.”

“Poor Aden.” Clarke mumbles.

Aden looks around, selecting his prey. “Octavia, truth or dare?”

“Dare.” Octavia feels like Aden deserves to get back at her for making Anya shave his legs.

“I dare you to put your face an inch away from Raven’s face, and to talk smoothly to her with a sultry tone.”

Octavia groans. Wasn’t she humiliated enough yet when Lexa had to pin her down and stare into her eyes? She scoots closer to Raven who is smirking at her.

Raven gives Octavia a bashful smile when their faces are barely an inch apart. This is very, very close. Octavia’s forehead is nearly pressed against hers. If either one of them moves even the tiniest bit, they’ll bump into each other.

Octavia tries her best to use a sultry tone. “Hey babe, you look uh… really hot tonight. I’d have you on your back in mere seconds. By the time I’m done with you, the river and the sea won’t be the only things that are wet.”

“Damn, O. You got game.” Raven whispers impressed. “I might have married the wrong woman.” She jokes.

“I’ll get you later, Reyes.” Anya mumbles.

Lexa tries to cover her ears. “Aden, tell Octavia to stop.”

At first Aden wanted to dare Octavia to do this to Lexa, to make Octavia really shy, but it would be awkward because Lexa is his sister. Raven is his sister in law, so that will do.

Octavia takes a deep breath and goes on. She doesn’t know how long she’s supposed to keep doing this. “Spend one night with me and you won’t even remember your own name.”

“You can stop now.” Aden says. “We all heard enough.”

Octavia lets out a sigh of relief when she pulls away from Raven. If Lincoln would know what they’re doing on the beach… She told him they would be gathering for a while to talk. Well in a way they are talking. Next time she’ll insist they let her husband join, unless that would make things worse. It would be so awkward if Lincoln would have to watch all of that and hear all those things.

Octavia looks at Raven. “Raven, truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“Who do you find the most attractive on our island, not counting Anya?”

Raven grins. “Aside from my extremely attractive wife, I’d say you, O.”

Clarke playfully whistles.

“Lexa, truth or dare?” Raven asks.

Lexa groans because Raven is picking her again. “Dare.”

“I dare you to kiss one of the drifters, not Clarke obviously.”

“What!?” Lexa is shocked. “Have you lost your mind, Raven? Clarke is my wife, you know my rule.”

“Just a quick peck on someone’s lips.” Raven challenges.

Clarke takes her wife’s hand in hers. “It’s fine, Lexa. You can quickly peck someone. It’s just a game.”

Lexa groans. “I will kill you after this, Raven.” She approaches Octavia.

Octavia’s eyes widen.

“Is it okay if I peck you on your lips?” Lexa asks. When Octavia briefly nods, she looks at her wife and waits for her to nod too. She leans closer to Octavia.

Raven laughs loudly. “You don’t actually have to do this, I’m just kidding. I didn’t think you’d actually go for it.”

Lexa was just about to press her lips quickly against Octavia’s. She stops her movements and turns around to scowl at Raven.

Raven stops laughing. Not because of Lexa’s reaction, but because of the distressed look on Octavia’s face.

Lexa ends the game and tells everyone to go to their huts.

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia is sitting near the river. She knows she was supposed to go to her hut, but after everything that happened, she needed a moment to get away.

Raven had tried to talk to her, but she had told Raven to leave. She’s not particularly mad at Raven, but she’s not in the mood to talk with her. The game had taken an awkward turn. Lexa had been so close to actually pull through and give her a quick peck. It all seems so innocent and playful.

Everything has been sorted years ago. She loves Lincoln, and she will always love him. Despite that, she did accept that she could be into women as well. Some are gay, some are straight, while others are something else entirely.

Lexa silently sits down next to Octavia. She talked with Clarke about the game. She and her wife both knew Octavia would probably still be outside somewhere. After the conversation with her wife, she went to go look for Octavia, to make sure she’d be okay.

Octavia glances at Lexa. “I think I’m bisexual.”

“It is okay if you are.”

“You’d seriously banish people when they’d kiss someone else, wouldn’t you?”

“I might.”

Octavia tilts her head questioningly. “You might? I thought you were set on banishing anyone who would do that.”

“It was a bit harsh of me to state it like that. I would not banish one of my people for a kiss.”

“Aside from the awkward parts, it was nice to hang out together.” Octavia whispers. “We don’t get to do that often, just our gang, as Raven calls it.”

“Are you and Raven going to be okay?” Lexa asks, concerned lacing her voice. “I know she can be a bit much.”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine. We’ve been best friends for a long time.” Octavia smiles weakly. “I just needed a moment to get some air.”

“I owe you something.” Lexa whispers.

Octavia looks at Lexa. “Yeah?”

Lexa nods. “Clarke talked with me about it.”

“Are you talking about… the kiss that was supposed to happen?” Octavia tries to keep her nerves under control. “It was a dare, nothing serious. You don’t have to do anything.”

“Tell me something honestly, Octavia.” Lexa whispers. “Did you want me to?”

Octavia bites her lip. “When you got dared and you chose me, I really thought you were going to. I’d say yes, because I’m your right hand and you’re a dear friend of mine. Would you banish someone who is polyamorous?”

Lexa shrugs. “The drifters do not have anyone like that. In the past I would have said yes, I would banish someone like that. Now I would say no. It would feel wrong to banish someone based upon their romantic and or sexual interests. Cheating however, I would not allow, but if anyone is openly interested in having multiple partners and all included partners agree, I would not banish them.”

“That makes sense.” Octavia agrees. “It sounds fair.”

Lexa gently cups Octavia’s cheeks. “Close your eyes.” She watches as Octavia closes her eyes. “Concentrate on the sound of the waterfall. Hear the ripple in the water of the river.”

Octavia trains her ears to listen. It’s relaxing. The tension she had been feeling is leaving her body. Her mind feels like one with the nature. She would be able to fall asleep now.

Lexa sings softly, humming Octavia to sleep. When Octavia falls asleep, she picks her up in her arms, scooping one arm under her knees and the other behind her shoulders. She’s muscled enough to do this. She carries Octavia to her hut. This reminds her of when Octavia was a child.

This island, their home, carries many memories. They have had many good moments here. Not only the two of them, no also with Clarke, Raven, Anya and Aden.

Lincoln smiles down at his wife, and then up at his cousin. He takes Octavia from Lexa, without a word. All they do is nod at each other. He is happy to know that his wife is okay.

Clarke cuddles up with Lexa in their hammock. “Is Octavia okay?”

“I believe she is. She fell asleep.”

Clarke studies her wife’s face. “You did not kiss her.” She knows Lexa.

Lexa smiles and kisses her wife. “You always know everything, Clarke.”

“As I told you before, I know you.”

Clarke knows that her wife is fiercely loyal. She can trust Lexa and she does. Their marriage has strong pillars, loyalty, trust, friendship, communication, equality and love. Her wife cares deeply about all of their people. She’s relieved to know that Octavia is okay. One looks into Lexa’s eyes and she can see her heart.

 

* * *

 

 

A year has passed. Only one more year before the conclave takes place. The drifters have been training more and more. This is very serious for them. More children have been stepping forward, saying they want to participate. When the conclave takes place, that’s when they need to make their final decision if they will participate or not.

Lexa has instructed Raven to work on making armor. Not a full armor, but breastplates. Raven has to make enough of them in various sizes, for when the conclave takes place.

Raven is working on making the breastplates with Monty and Atom. Once she finishes a prototype, she tests it out, to check if it is good enough or not. She wants the breastplates to be perfect. Kai will definitely need it. She bets many children might attack him in an attempt to take him down first.

Monty and Atom don’t say a word when Raven is displeased with a prototype and when she flips their work table over, or the times where Raven moves her arm across the table, sweeping everything off of it, in one swift move.

Clarke, Echo and Maya have been improving their healer skills. A few children are following in their footsteps, to become healers. When the conclave happens, they will be an important asset. It’s inevitable that the children will need them when they get wounded. There’s only so much those breastplates will protect them from.

Lexa is training the children. She steps away for a bit to walk up to Roan and Ontari.

“Is Hunter still set on participating in the conclave?” Lexa asks. She has a small shimmer of hope that Hunter might not want to participate anymore.

“My son will be participating.” Roan replies solemnly. “He has been training, and he is still training.”

“The conclave will take place in one year from now.” Lexa keeps her voice calm and neutral. “Do you think Hunter will be ready?”

“He’s my son. He will be ready.”

“I want to make something abundantly clear, Roan.” Lexa warns. “If Hunter does not win the conclave, he will cease trying to approach Aqua. He will not go near her, unless Aqua personally allows him to.” Her eyes bore into Roan’s in the most intimidating way. “You have your traditions, I have my own. If Hunter loses, you will respect the fact that I would not allow him my daughter’s hand. As we speak, Aqua is fourteen. When the conclave happens, she will be fifteen, thus she is not of age. Aqua will be allowed to make her own decisions when she turns eighteen. As the commander, I have to protect my people. As a mother, I have to protect my daughter.” Her voice becomes stronger. “If Hunter loses, he will not ask the hand of any of my people, not until they are eighteen. When they are eighteen, he may try. However, my people will always have the right to decline. Is that clear?”

Roan clenches his jaw and stares at Lexa. This speech is not what he wanted to hear. His traditions are important, and the commander is undermining them to some extent.

Lexa grits her teeth. “If you want our alliance to cease, speak now.”

Roan shakes his head. “I have no desire to break our alliance. We have been allies and friends for years. However, my traditions have been passed on for generations, long before we were born.”

“You can take my deal.” Lexa offers. “If not, our alliance will end here.”

Ontari places a hand on Roan’s shoulder. “Do not be a fool, Roan. We cannot lose our alliance with the drifters.”

“Traditions are important, Ontari. I cannot simply ignore this.”

“You are the king, Roan. You decide what the traditions are.” Ontari pulls her hand away and looks at Roan. “The last thing we need is a war.”

Roan sighs and looks at Ontari. “You’re right.” He gives her a chaste kiss before looking at Lexa. “I accept your offer. Our alliance will not cease. Our friendship however, stops here.”

Lexa lifts her chin up slightly. “Leave my island. I will see you both with your son when the conclave takes place.” She doesn’t mind that their friendship is over. Everything comes at a prize.

Roan gathers the few warriors he had brought with him. Together they quickly leave the island, to go to their own island.

“I suppose that was necessary.” Clarke exhales deeply and looks at her wife. “It’s a shame he threw our friendship away just like that. We have been friends for years, and not that’s over.”

“Roan has made his decision.” Lexa replies coolly. “Victory stands on the back of sacrifice. Losing our friendship with Roan is a small sacrifice to keep our alliance and avoid a war. Our people have known peace for a while now. None of our people needs a war right now.”

Clarke grasps her wife’s wrist and pulls her into a hug. “You did the right thing, Lexa. Most of the time, you do the right thing.”

“Only most of the time?” Lexa challenges.

“Well yeah.” Clarke looks into her wife’s green eyes. “I’m still not happy about Summer and Clay going to participate in that conclave.”

Lexa holds her wife’s chin and stares deeply into her sky blue eyes. “I hope someday you will understand.” She is doing this for the right reasons, to give all of their children a chance.

 

* * *

 

 

“I have good news!” Skye shrieks happily. She runs over the beach. “Guess what?”

Clarke looks at her daughter. “What is it sweetie?”

Skye looks up and smiles. “She said yes.”

Clarke is confused. “Who said yes about what?” She doesn’t know what her daughter is talking about.

“Minty said yes, she’s my girlfriend now.” Skye explains. “She’s so sweet, I really like her.” Her voice is bubbly and joyful.

Clarke tries not to choke. Okay, deep breaths. She should be happy for her daughter. Skye is twelve now, she is getting older. She has to accept that Skye is not a little girl anymore. Minty is nine. It surprises her that Skye and Minty are together now. Should she be concerned? Isn’t Minty too young? It would be wrong to say that they’re too young to know that sort of things. What type of hypocrite would she be if she’d tell her daughter that Minty is too young to know if she’s into girls or not? It’s not like there is a certain age set where people would know something like that. Some find out late, others find out early.

She doesn’t want to freak out the way her mother would. She’s not her mother, no definitely not. Skye looks so happy. She doesn’t want to say something that would upset her daughter. Her children’s happiness is very important to her. It’s endearing how Skye talks about Minty.

“That’s great, sweetie.” Clarke replies. She tries to smile, but she feels nervous. What if she’s not handling this right?

“She kissed me!” Skye smiles impossibly brighter. “She was standing on her tippy toes, it was so cute.” She plays the memory over and over in her head.

Clarke is pleasantly surprised. Minty must really like Skye then. Young love, it is so beautiful, sweet, cute, adorable, fluffy and so much more.

Lexa chuckles lightly. “That sounds really sweet.” She kneels down next to Skye. “I am so happy for you.”

Lexa loves to see her children happy. Hope is still happily in a relationship with Rosie. Now Skye is happy with Minty. She wonders if this means that two of her daughters are gay. It’s possible, but not certain. This is much better than having to deal with any broken hearts. Hopefully none of her children will ever get their heart broken. She knows deep down that she will never be able to protect her children from that. She still hasn’t forgotten that day where Skye and Lily didn’t see eye to eye because Hunter was Lily’s boyfriend for a brief moment, and then suddenly Skye’s boyfriend. Skye has been living up to her words about not liking boys.

Lexa makes a mental note that if anyone ever hurts her precious children, she will hunt them down and make them suffer. Her wife and their children mean everything to her. She would go to extreme lengths to ensure their happiness, their safety and their health.

Now that Skye and Minty are together, Monty and Miller make an effort to sit on a tree log with Clarke and Lexa. They even try to strike up a conversation.

Clarke had already built a friendship with them, but it wasn’t all that strong yet. She talked with Monty a few times when he’s helping Raven to tinker with things in her work hut.

Lexa quickly realizes that she doesn’t mind Monty’s and Miller’s company. Monty is actually not so bad when he isn’t around Jasper, who always riles Monty up. She appreciates Miller’s calm exterior. It should not be a problem to get along.

Skye and Minty are giggling. They’re making flower crowns and necklaces together, under the watchful eyes of their parents.

Hope and Rosie join them, because they like flowers too.

Lexa watches as Rosie’s parents, Harper and Monroe, sit down on her tree log as well. Her friendship with them has gotten stronger, due to Hope and Rosie being together.

 

* * *

 

 

“Your feet are sloppy, Clay!” Lexa shouts, wanting to correct her son. “You have to place them better, like I taught you.”

“Yes, mama.” Clay replies with a soft voice.

“Okay, that is better.” Lexa says approvingly. She looks at Summer. “Hold your stick with both your hands, Summer! You are making it too easy for the others to knock it out of your hands.”

“Lexa, do you really have to be so harsh?” Clarke sounds frustrated. “They’re young. You’ve been drilling them way too hard.”

“I have to do this, Clarke.” Lexa replies defensively. “This is their last day to train for the conclave. They are turning six tomorrow.”

Clarke sighs defeated. “Yeah, I know.” Unfortunately that’s true. “But you’ve been really tough on them.”

“I had to be, they only had two years to prepare for this.” Lexa knows she is training them roughly, but they only have been training since they turned four. She had to teach them as much as possible. “I cannot let them have sloppy feet and sloppy hands.”

“Yeah, I wonder why they had such little time to train…”

Lexa rolls her eyes. She’s not going to argue about this again with her wife.

“Get back up, Summer!” Lexa shouts loudly. “When you fall, you get up again.”

It’s Clarke’s turn to roll her eyes. She knows her wife better than anyone else. Right now Lexa is going all commander on the children, but later on the day, she’ll be peppering their cheeks with kisses, cuddle them and sing them to sleep. She sees a tear rolling over Summer’s cheeks. That is Lexa’s ultimate weakness.

Lexa runs over to Summer and holds her in her arms. She strokes Summer’s hair and her back. “Shh, my little angel. Mama loves you, so very much.” She hates it when the children cry. The second they cry, her commander mask dissolves.

Clarke watches on as the children train. It’s like a fist clenches itself around her heart. Tomorrow the conclave will take place. As a healer, she will see all the wounds the children will earn in the conclave. She will have to be strong for them. It wouldn’t be right to sob when she will have to be ready to heal them.

When the night falls, Lexa orders everyone to go to their huts and to rest well.

Tomorrow the conclave will take place. They are ready. They have to be ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The conclave is coming up. Any guesses who will win it? :)


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ****WARNING: There is a lot of violence in this chapter. Blood is mentioned, children get badly hurt, so read with caution.*****
> 
> This chapter is about the conclave. It might be considered brutal. The children do not take it easy on each other. 
> 
> Enjoy... or not. The warning is there for a reason, it's not a walk in the park.

The time for the conclave has arrived. Summer and Clay are now six years old.

It’s a hot day. The sun is shining brightly. The drifters got up the moment the sun rose up to the sky, and light was seeping through.

Lexa is setting everything up with a few of her people. With her sword, she takes her time to draw a large circle into the sand on their beach. The circle is large enough to give the children plenty of space to fight.

The tree logs are being placed in front of the huts, so the drifters can sit down on them while they watch the conclave. It is fine if someone wants to stand, but they cannot enter the circle where the children will be fighting.

Daggers, sticks, swords and spears are being placed right outside the circle, along with light armor in the form of breastplates.

Lexa had agreed with Clarke, Anya, Raven, Octavia and Aden that breastplates would be in the children’s best interest. The children are obviously not allowed to kill each other, but that little piece of armor will ensure their safety better.

Raven, Monty and Atom have worked a long time to create all those breastplates. Raven has been very critical about the quality of the armor. She made sure it would be light enough for the children to move in and nearly impermeable, because nothing is ever fully impermeable. She ensured Lexa that it will only be penetrable if the children try really, really hard to get through it, meaning they would be purposefully trying to kill one of their opponents, which is forbidden.

The drifters and their allies patiently sit down and wait. They talk a bit with each other. Lexa has allowed a few representatives of each of their allies to visit them, so they can watch the conclave. It’s partly a tactic to show the strength of the children, thus showing how strong the drifters are.

Roan and Ontari respectively sit down to watch the conclave. They haven’t seen the drifters in a while, since the drifters are no longer their friends.

Hunter takes Aqua’s hand and kisses her knuckles. “It is a pleasure to see you, milady.” He smiles at her.

Aqua laughs. “I’m not your lady, Hunter.” She pulls her hand away. “Not yet.”

Hunter watches Aqua with a smug look on his face, as she whips her curly hair over her shoulder and walks away from him. He really likes Aqua. Judging from the looks of some other boys, he is not the only one who likes her.

Lexa holds her hands up. “Listen closely. I will tell you all what the rules are.” Her voice rings loud and clear through the air.

The drifters and their allies all stop talking to listen to the commander.

“The children who choose to participate will fight inside the circle!” Lexa shouts she points her sword at the circle. “When a child leaves the circle, it means they are surrendering. When a child no longer wants to fight, they have to hold their hands up to make it clear to the other children that they are surrendering. Directly after doing so they will leave the circle.”

The part about holding their hands up is in case any of the children wants to surrender, but is being attacked and can’t leave the circle easily. It’s for their safety, for when a child decides they cannot take or do not want to take any more.

Lexa clasps her hands firmly behind her back. She is standing close to the circle. “The rules are that you are not allowed to kill each other. You may wound each other. It is allowed if a few fight together for a moment to defeat one. There can only be one winner. The last child who remains standing will win the conclave, and thus win the first test.”

Lexa points at Lincoln. “Lincoln will be keeping the score. The first child to drop out receives one point, the second two points and so on. The one who wins will have the most points. If two children surrender at once, they will receive an equal amount of points. It will be like this for the other tests as well. The child with the best score after all the tests will be trained to be the next commander.”

Clarke approaches her wife and holds her hand.

Lexa squeezes her wife’s hand to let her know it will be okay. “When you need a healer, you can approach our healers.” She points her finger to a small spot between two tree logs where the healers placed sheets, pillows and their medical supplies. “That is where you can go if you have wounds that need to be looked after.”

Lexa clears her throat and looks around. “Octavia, Anya, Raven, Aden and Indra, stand up.” She waits for them to stand up and approach her. “They will watch the conclave closely along with me. If we see a child breaking a rule by trying to purposefully kill another child, or by attacking a child who is surrendering, we will drag that child out of the circle. Make no mistakes, when you break a rule, you will no longer be allowed to participate in the tests after this conclave. You will no longer have the chance to become the next commander.” Her voice is serious and warning.

Octavia, Anya, Raven, Aden and Indra take their positions around the circle. They spread out.

Lexa raises her voice so everyone can hear her. She turns around to look at Octavia, Anya, Raven, Aden and Indra who have spread around the circle. “If any of the children is surrendering and does not seem able to walk out of the circle decently, you are allowed to pick them up and to bring them to our healers.”

Clarke sits down near the sheets, pillows and medical supplies with Echo and Maya. A few children sit with them, ready to assist them. Ophelia is one of those children. She will not participate in the conclave.

“Any children age six up to sixteen who want to participate may approach me now.” Lexa says loudly. “Harper, Monroe, Monty and Atom, you four will help me to put their armor on.”

Harper, Monroe, Monty and Atom nod. They run towards the armor, ready to help.

Clarke holds her breath when her eight children approach her wife to participate in the conclave. She thought that maybe, just maybe, Summer and Clay wouldn’t want to participate. Unfortunately they do want to participate, just like their siblings.

Summer and Clay are six years old. They have been training for two years. Their skills have been trained intensively, to prepare them as best as possible. Neither one of them has much chance to win the conclave. For the other tests they might score better. Young age does not mean they are doomed to lose. They look up at the older children who are a lot taller than they are.

Clarke watches as a breastplate is being placed around their small bodies. The scary part is that a few other very young children who barely look six approach Lexa as well.

Skye and Lily are thirteen years old now. They give each other a strong hug, knowing that they will possibly have to fight against each other once they manage to get far. They have been training a lot. Their skills have gotten better. Both of them believe they have a chance in this conclave.

Hope and River are fourteen years old. Hope is still peaceful, like she always has been. She hugs her girlfriend, Rosie and gives her a kiss. Her girlfriend will be staying with the healers, because Rosie is close to officially be a healer. River has gotten fiercer. Nobody would be able to tell that as a child, he was afraid of many things.

Aqua and Blue are fifteen. They hug their younger siblings, knowing they will have to fight soon. Thinking about harming their family doesn’t sit well with them. They are the eldest, they want to protect their younger siblings rather than fight them.

Kai who is sixteen proudly approaches Lexa. He has been growing a lot. He doesn’t look like a boy, he looks like a man. The second he steps closer, a few of the younger children take a step away from him. Kai is fearless, always has been. In this moment, he is not only fearless, he is also feared. The drifters and their allies have been rumoring that they assume Kai has the highest chance to win this conclave.

Anya and Raven have a feeling that their son will do well in the conclave. Kai is a warrior. He is different than the other children. The youngest children won’t stand a chance against him.

Emily is thirteen. She is rather petite for her age, and she is slender. However, she takes after her mother, Octavia. All her years of training have done her justice. She glares at the other children, wanting to scare them.

Octavia knows that Emily is more than just her little angel. Emily is fierce and strong. She has trained her daughter well. Emily has a chance.

Lincoln watches as Emily is putting her armor on. His daughter reminds him so much of his wife. They are so much alike. He is a proud father, and a proud husband. Emily will be great. He knows how hard Emily has been training for this.

Skye feels her heart beating faster when Minty approaches. Her girlfriend is ten years old. She would rather not have Minty in the conclave. Minty is a fragile little girl. She sees Monty and Miller staring down at the sand when their daughter chooses to participate. She feels like it is her fault. Minty probably wants to be close to her. They have been together for a year now.

Lexa stares at Minty while Atom is helping her to put her armor on. She is slightly surprised to see Minty participating, but she doesn’t say anything. The children are free to choose.

Ace, Buck and Eva are ten years old. Together they approach to participate. Their parents, Aden and Ellis, have been training them.

More children approach to participate. The youngest ones are barely six. The oldest ones are sixteen, like Kai.

Lexa counts the children who will be fighting in the conclave. There are nearly thirty children. She didn’t expect so many children to participate. Eight of those children are hers. Five are the children from her siblings.

Lexa points at the weapons splayed out onto the sand. “Children, select your weapons, take as many as you would like.” She watches as the children tuck daggers away, and grab spears, sticks and swords.

Lexa allows the children to step in the circle. She watches as Hunter steps in too. Hunter is fourteen now. He still seems to be set on wanting Aqua’s hand. She sees Ontari and Roan watching their son closely. What will happen once Hunter loses? There is no way Hunter will win. Some children are already looking at him like they want to rip him into pieces.

“Let the conclave begin!!” Lexa shouts loudly. She stands outside the circle to watch.

 

* * *

 

 

Skye is holding Minty’s hand. She knows her girlfriend is not trained like she is. “Stay behind me, Minty.” She doesn’t want Minty to get hurt.

Lily stands next to her sister. “Together.” She whispers.

Skye nods. “Together.”

Skye is happy to have her sister on her side. Their twin connection is strong. They are still inseparable. They are so much alike. Yes, Skye has blue eyes, blonde hair and is with a girl while Lily has green eyes, brown hair and is with a boy, but other than that they’re the same. They always have each other’s back.

One child runs up to Skye, trying to get to Minty. Skye swings her sword and cuts the child’s arm.

Lily kicks the child directly in their chest. She grabs one of her daggers and hits the child’s leg. When the child surrenders, she stops attacking the child.

Skye nudges her twin when three older children approach. She takes Minty’s spear, hitting one of the children in their foot.

Lily struggles to help Skye to fight them off. They are strong, but trying to fight off three older children is not easy.

Skye allows Lily to grab her hands. Lily swings her sister around, to knock those three older children down with Skye’s body.

Lily and Skye have a look on their face that says ' _don't mess with us._ '

Minty holds a sword out and tries to block every strike in her direction. She is not trained for this. She’s little and fragile. All she has been taught are the basics. In this conclave she is the easiest target. Even Summer and Clay would be able to take her down. 

Lily does her best to help Skye protect Minty, because she loves her sister and her sister loves Minty.

The triplets are fighting together against other children. Some other children team up together for a moment, planning to take the triplets down, because the triplets are fighting together.

Ace and Buck try to be strong brothers for Eva.

The drifters and their allies watch and listen, as battle cries rip violently through the air. The allies watch with wide eyes, not used to seeing children fight like that. Roan and Ontari are the only allies who don’t look surprised. They know the drifters are strong, including the children.

Summer and Clay are hopelessly standing next to each other as an older child approaches them. The child laughs and swings a sword at them.

Hope jumps out in front of Summer and Clay, getting one of her arms slashed in the process. She holds her sword up and tries to block the next swing. More children run up to her.

Summer and Clay are trying to help Hope, but the other children keep kicking them down.

Hope receives several cuts all across her arms and legs. She falls down roughly. From the corner of her eyes she looks at Summer and Clay. She is their older sister, she wants to protect them. She doesn’t care about winning. She only entered because her siblings have.

Summer and Clay make sloppy moves when they try to fight off the children who are cutting Hope.

Hope gets up and protectively stands in front of Summer and Clay, not wanting them to get cut. She tries not to bend down her knees. Her arm is bleeding and there is a cut in her lip. She holds her hands up, surrendering. She bends through her knees and can’t find the strength to get up and walk out of the circle. She hopes her mothers will forgive her for failing to protect Summer and Clay.

Octavia runs into the circle and picks Hope up, to take her to the healers.

Hope mumbles apologies when she sees her girlfriend, Rosie who is dabbing her wounds with a wet cloth. She reaches her hand out to her mother, Clarke to apologize for failing.

Clarke kisses Hope’s cheek. “You haven’t failed anyone.” She takes one of Hope’s hands and squeezes gently. It hurts to see her daughter so wounded, her peaceful precious flower child who only wanted to protect her youngest sister and her youngest brother. “I’m so proud of you, Hope.” It pains her to see the pale look on Hope's face. It brings back memories, from how pale Hope had been when they destroyed Mountain Island, how Hope nearly didn't survive that first night. 

Aqua and Blue saw Hope going down. It all happened so fast. They were fighting a few children and couldn’t get to them on time. They run towards Clay and Summer. Together they fight back to back, with the twins in between them.

River rages after seeing Hope go down. He jumps the children that had stabbed Hope. He cuts them repeatedly until they surrender.

Skye and Lily are still struggling to fight off other children and to keep Minty safe at the same time. Skye gasps when Minty gets cut.

“Minty, please surrender.” Skye pleads. “I don’t want you to get hurt more.” She can’t keep her safe in this conclave.

Minty kisses Skye’s cheek and surrenders. She walks out of the circle while holding her hands up.

Kai is fighting Hunter. He doesn’t give Hunter the chance to even reach any of the other children. Hunter keeps getting knocked down until he can barely breathe. Hunter is not one of them, so Kai wants to defeat him first.

Clarke bites back tears when she tends to Hope’s wounds. She glances at her other children, and is relieved to see Aqua and Blue are protecting Summer and Clay.

The triplets fall down one by one when they fail to defeat the older children who had surrounded them. The older children cut them multiple times. The triplets surrender after that.

River is fighting against Emily. He tries to hit her, but Emily is quick on her feet and dodges his moves, much to his dismay.

Emily flings one of her daggers, hitting one of River’s legs. She grabs her sword and connects it against River’s armor, making him stumble and fall.

River punches Emily’s jaw harshly.

Emily retaliates by kneeing River in his groin. She knows that’s an evil move to make, but it’s not forbidden. The only things that are forbidden are things that would kill him. This will not kill River, but it will hurt like hell, that’s for sure.

River yelps loudly. He can’t defeat Emily. She’s better than him.

Emily uses the bottom of her foot to kick River’s knee. She repeats that move quickly, making River fall.

River scrambles back up to his feet. He makes a cut on Emily’s arm.

Emily pokes her fingers in River’s eyes, temporarily blinding him. She uses that to her advantage to head-butt River and to punch his nose.

River howls in pain and holds his hands up to surrender.

Hunter surrenders when he’s all battered and bruised, thanks to Kai who seemed determined to beat the life out of him. He wonder if it’s linked to Aqua being Kai’s cousin.

Kai and Emily make their way to Aqua and Blue, defeating a few children before getting to them.

Aqua and Blue struggle to protect the twins.

Kai kicks Blue down roughly.

Blue stands up again. His nose is bleeding. His sword connects with Kai’s sword.

Aqua is trying to fight Emily off. She kicks her foot up to hit Emily’s chest, but Emily grabs her foot and pulls, making Aqua land on her back.

Summer and Clay try to jump Kai, but he pushes them aside with his foot.

Kai clenches his fist and hits one of Blue’s eyes. He punches Blue in the middle of his throat, making Blue gasp for air.

Blue falls down again and surrenders. He is no match for Kai. He scrambles up to his feet and leaves the circle, while still gasping for air. It’s painfully clear that they’re not fighting in a clean way.

Kai kicks Summer and Clay down. He looks at them while they’re down and tilts his head. They’re so little, so young. He can see the fear written all over their faces. They fear him, and they should. He swings his sword in their direction and plants it a few inches away from their arms.

“You should both surrender.” Kai hisses. “Surrender or fight.”

Clay scrambles back up to his feet and stabs his dagger in Kai’s leg.

Kai holds his index finger up and waves it at Clay. “You should not have done that.” He pulls the dagger out of his leg. With his foot he kicks Clay down again. He presses his dagger against Clay’s arm.

Summer jumps on Kai’s back, but he shakes her off and she falls down again. How are Clay and she supposed to defeat Kai?

Aqua wants to help the twins, but she’s a bit occupied fighting Emily. She clenches her teeth when Emily punches her face, to try to avoid getting her jaw broken.

Skye and Lily are fighting a few children when they see the scene unfold. They glance at each other and roll their eyes. Does Kai really have to pick on the youngest children in this conclave?

Lily jumps one of the children and uses a chokehold. After a bit, the child passes out and she lets go. She knows the child is only temporarily unconscious.

Clarke feels like she can’t breathe anymore, now that Blue is out and Aqua is fighting Emily, nobody is protecting Summer and Clay. She doesn’t like seeing them fight against Kai. She sees that Skye and Lily are fighting together.

Lexa watches as the children drop out one by one, like flies. She eyes Lily after that chokehold.

Kai adds a little bit of pressure on his blade, drawing some blood from Clay’s arm. With one foot he holds Summer down, not giving her a chance to stand up. “Are you going to surrender or do you still want to fight?” Normally he would simply fight them until they can’t stand up anymore, but they’re little kids. He is being merciful on them.

Clay’s voice croaks. “I want to surrender.”

“I want to surrender too.” Summer whispers.

Kai retrieves his dagger. He holds his hands out to the twins and pulls them up. “You’re both lucky you’re my cousins.” He whispers.

Summer and Clay hold their hands up while they walk out of the circle.

Clarke is able to breathe again when she sees that they are not harmed, aside from the little bit of blood Clay has on his arm, but it is already drying up. It’s a scratch. She wishes that Hope, Blue and River would have gotten out with scratches too, rather than with blood all over them.

Skye and Lily make their way to Aqua, who is still fighting Emily. They hold their sword out to Kai.

The five of them are the last children who are still standing.

Lexa turns around and her eyes search for Tris. She nods at Tris, signaling that now is the time. The children don’t know about this part. It was planned that when only five children would still be standing, Tris would enter to fight against them, to make it tougher.

It had been Anya’s idea to select Tris, because Tris does not favor any of the children, because none of them are hers. Tris is a good warrior. It’s a good test to see the children’s strength.

Lexa is not surprised to see Kai and Emily are still standing. She had expected that. Who the three others would be had been uncertain. She is slightly surprised to see the three others are Skye, Lily and Aqua, her daughters. She noticed Skye and Lily have been fighting together, which helped them get so far. She already assumed at least one of her children would make it to the top five, she just didn’t think three of them would.

The children watch as Tris approaches them with her sword. Tris is not exactly there to participate to become the commander. She is merely a part of the game, to increase the level.

Emily knocks Aqua down again. She presses her blade against Aqua’s jaw and makes a cut.

Aqua surrenders now that she is sporting more wounds than she can count. She is bleeding and it hurts too much to walk. She tries, but she keeps falling down.

Anya steps into the circle to get Aqua out, and brings her to the healers.

Kai shifts his attention to Tris.

Skye and Lily attack Emily together.

Tris breaks Kai’s nose. At least she doesn’t have to worry about beating up a kid. Kai is not exactly a child anymore. Kai is a warrior, like her.

Kai doesn’t flinch. He grabs his dagger and stabs it in Tris’ thigh. If anyone thinks an adult will take him down, they will have to think again. He has been training for twelve years. Even if they send more than one adult his way, he will take them all down.

Skye and Lily are relieved that Kai is set on taking Tris down. That way they probably don’t have to fight Tris.  

Emily doesn’t let herself be defeated so easily. So what if the twins fight together. They can fight together all they want, she will take them down.

Skye’s body is hurting from all the wounds. She can’t take much more. She looks at her twin for help.

Lily swings fast at Emily and grunts when Emily blocks her moves.

Emily cuts Lily’s jaw and kicks her down.

Skye rushes to her help her twin. She shoves Emily out of the way.

Lily balls her fist and sideways hits Emily’s jaw.

Emily’s teeth are covered with blood when she smiles. She spits out one of her teeth. When Lily hits her again, all she does is laugh and draw her sword.

Tris makes a deep cut in Kai’s legs, feeling powerful to see Kai bleeding.

Kai grabs two daggers and digs them in Tris’ arms. He roars loudly and slides his daggers down Tris’ arms. Revenge is bittersweet.

Tris screams from the pain and surrenders. She makes her way over to the healers, who are already occupied with all the children they are trying to heal.

Emily runs up to Kai to fight him, Skye and Lily directly onto her heels.

Emily, Kai, Skye and Lily are the only ones left. It’s just the four of them now.

Kai punches Emily roughly in her face until she falls down.

Emily jumps back up to her feet. She holds her hand out when Kai tries to punch her again. She feels his fist connecting with her hand. She spits blood out of her mouth. She might have lost another tooth or two, but she doesn’t care.

Kai doesn’t make a sound when Emily punches his already broken nose. More blood seeps from his nose. He staggers and falls.

Skye and Lily attack Emily with their sword.

Emily twirls around. Her sword connects with theirs. She holds her sword out in front of her. She grips the edge of Lily’s sword, and feels the blade cutting into the palm of her hand.

Kai gets up. He kicks Skye’s knee and makes her fall down.

Emily grips her hands tightly around her sword. She makes a deep cut in Kai’s arms.

Kai grabs Emily’s collar and fists his hands in it. He stands up and lifts Emily up. He wraps one hand around one of Emily’s legs and lifts her up above his head.

Emily groans when Kai throws her down. She stands up and tries to elbow him, but her elbow connects painfully with his armor.

Kai hits Emily’s jaw until her jaw turns purple. “You should surrender!” He shouts at her.

“A warrior never surrenders!” Emily shouts back. She wants to be a warrior. “You will have to kill me to win.” She knows he can’t kill her, it’s against the rules.

Kai drops his weapons. He decides he will fight Emily with his body.

Emily smirks and drops her weapons, ready to fight Kai.

Skye and Lily copy their moves and hold their fists out in front of them.

Kai, Emily, Skye and Lily give each other a murderous look. They all know only one of them can win this conclave. They will have to wound each other until only one is left, and the other three surrender.

They jump each other like wild animals and roll down on the sand together, fists flying around, hitting everywhere.

Clarke is shocked by the way Emily, Kai, Skye and Lily continue to beat each other. “Lexa, do something! They’re badly wounded already!”

Clarke doesn’t like how far they’re taking this. She can see how all four of them are struggling while rolling around on the sand, fighting. There is so much blood that she can’t even decipher which blood belongs to which child.

“Only one can win the conclave, Clarke.” Lexa replies evenly. “Wounds are inevitable.”

“They’re going to kill each other!” Clarke argues.

Lexa shakes her head. “They are not allowed to do that.”

Emily, Kai, Skye and Lily are receiving more wounds from each other. They continue to roll around on the sand. They are not giving each other a chance to stand up.

Battle cries ring through the air, so strikingly loud everyone’s blood freezes.

The drifters and their allies gasp so loud, everything becomes still.

The battle cries have stopped.

The conclave is over.

Only one child is still standing. Nearly standing actually, due to all the wounds and the blood.

The other three are heavily bleeding, while lying down on the sand.

The child who has won the conclave is…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who do you think has won the conclave? :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wouldn't have posted this chapter yet. It's quite late at my place and I just finished it. Normally I was going to put it up tomorrow, but here you all go. Now you'll know. 
> 
> Oh, and there is a little... surprise (maybe) at the end. Or a shock, depends on how you look at it.

There is so much blood from the children. The allies from the drifters are still shocked about the conclave they have just witnessed. Even Roan and Ontari are shocked. The children fought each other brutally.

Clarke, Echo and Maya have their hands full to tend to the children’s wounds. There are a few children, like Ophelia and Rosie, who are trying to help them with tending to the children’s wounds.

Even Lexa has to admit that the children fought more brutal than she could have possibly guessed they would have. She will have to give the children some time to recover, before even thinking about letting them go through the other tests that are yet to come. Although with all their wounds, one particular test can be done. The test where the children have to prove how well their healer skills have developed. It is one of the several other tests that the children and most drifters don’t know about.

Lexa planned those other tests with Clarke, Anya, Raven, Octavia and Aden. They have kept it a secret. The tests are only to be revealed directly before they take place.

Emily is standing in the sea, washing off all the blood from her body. Most of it is not even her blood. Her body hurts everywhere. She is exhausted from the conclave. It must have lasted quite a while because it is getting darker, signaling that the night is about to fall. She holds a few of her teeth in one of her hands.

Octavia and Lincoln join their daughter in the water. They have to clean up her wounds and bandage them where needed.

Skye and Lily are leaning on each other while standing next to Emily, washing their blood off too. They hiss from the pain.

Lexa steps into the water to help them. She knows her wife has her hands full right now with healing the other wounded children.

Kai is sitting down near the beach. The water from the sea washes over his toes. There is blood all over his body, so much blood. He has many cuts in his arms and his legs. His nose is broken and one of his eyes is swollen. He received most of his wounds from Tris and Emily.

Raven and Anya carefully carry Kai towards the campfire, to bandage all his stab wounds.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa looks around as her people are sitting around the campfire. Most of the children who fought in the conclave are badly wounded. She holds her hands up to talk.

“Drifters, seeing that many children are badly wounded, I will grant the children two weeks to recover before the next test takes place. However, one particular test will take place tomorrow.” She thinks about the test for their healing skills.

“The children who fought in the conclave fought well.” Lexa feels like that needed to be said.

Lexa’s eyes shift between the children who participated.

“Emily.” Lexa calls out.

Emily stands up to approach Lexa. She grits her teeth from the pain she is feeling. Some blood seeps through her bandages, she shouldn’t move around too much.

Lexa kneels down next to Emily. “From this day onward, Emily will be a warrior. She has earned it.”

Emily tries her best to smile, but it looks more like a painful grimace. She has always wanted to become a warrior, and now at age thirteen, she is a warrior. All her wounds are worth it. She would gladly go through it again. Becoming a warrior is an honor. She truly meant it when she told Kai that he’d have to kill her if he wanted to win. There was no way she was going to go down. She’s very competitive, like her mother. Pain only makes her stronger.

Lexa stands up again. “Emily is very much like her mother, Octavia, who is my right hand and my best warrior.” Her voice is filled with pride. “It is my honor to announce that Emily has won the conclave, thus currently leaving her with the highest score.” She looks at the other children. “To those who did not win, may the other tests be more fruitful for you.”

Octavia feels pride swell in her heart while she looks at her daughter. Emily fought so well. Her little angel did it, Emily won the conclave.

Kai smiles at Emily, she deserved that victory. Emily has been a worthy opponent. He was too badly wounded, while fighting with Skye, Lily and Emily. Skye and Lily held their hands up together. After receiving another punch against his nose from Emily, he surrendered. He doesn’t hold a grudge. Emily is good, really good. All the times he practiced with her, they would be pretty much on the same level. He still has a high chance to win once the other tests have taken place. He is only one point behind Emily on the score board.

Skye and Lily are proud to currently share the third place together. If they do better in other tests, they can score more points. Skye is holding hands with Minty, she wishes Minty wouldn’t look so sad, but she knows it’s because of all the wounds she has. Lily is sitting close to her boyfriend.

Hope is proud of Skye and Lily for making it so far. She’s sitting on a tree log with Rosie, who is still tending to her wounds.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Roan angrily walks up to Lexa. It’s like thunder is happening in his eyes.

Ontari walks behind him, while holding Hunter’s hand.

“Those kids battered and bruised my son in that conclave!” Roan snarls at Lexa. “Since when do children fight in such brutal ways!?”

Lexa is not planning to raise her voice like Roan is raising his. “It was made clear that only one child would win. That child turned out to be Emily. If Hunter did not want to get bruised so much, he should have surrendered earlier.” Her voice is calm and collected.

Roan takes a step closer to Lexa, but is stopped by the point of Octavia’s sword.

“Do not dare to take another step!” Octavia warns. “You will respect the commander.”

Lexa holds one hand up to dismiss Octavia. “It is okay, I will deal with this.”

Octavia listens to Lexa and moves her sword away.

“Someone will pay for Hunter’s wounds!” Roan threatens.

Lexa jabs Roan’s throat. “You will not threaten my people.” Her eyes are on fire.

“You will regret this, commander.” Roan snarls.

Lexa glares at Roan. “Our alliance is over. Your people are enemies of the drifters now, and you are trespassing on my island.” She grips the hilt of her sword. “For old times’ sake, leave right now.”

Hunter looks sad. “Can I say goodbye to Aqua?”

Lexa points her fingers at her eyes and then at Hunter, to make it clear that she will be watching him. “Make it quick.”

Hunter takes Aqua’s hand. “I’m sorry about the way things went. I really do like you.”

Aqua looks at Hunter. “Things could have never worked. I belong here, with my people. You belong on your island with yours.”

“Would your mother kill me if I’d kiss you?”

Aqua smiles a little. “Yes, she would.”

Hunter smiles back at her. “Then I will die happy.” He leans closer towards Aqua and kisses her gently. “Goodbye, Aqua.”

“Goodbye, Hunter.”

Lexa glares at Hunter and bites her lip. She would snap at him, if it wasn’t for her wife holding her hand to calm her down.

Clarke tenderly kisses her wife’s cheek. She is not happy about the way things went with Roan, but she wouldn’t let Lexa snap at Hunter.

Hunter steals one last glance of Aqua, before leaving with his parents.

Lexa and Clarke want to hug Aqua to offer her comfort.

“Don’t touch me!” Aqua shouts. “Just don’t.” There are tears in her eyes. “This is all your fault.”

Clarke and Lexa look confused as Aqua angrily walks away from them.

“Give her some time.” Anya whispers from behind them. “She’s a teenager now. I think she actually liked Hunter.”

Clarke sighs. “We really didn’t handle this well.”

Lexa shakes her head. “It is not your fault, Clarke. It is my fault.”

“She can’t stay mad at us forever.” Clarke tries to reason. “It’s not easy if she actually likes Hunter, especially now that Roan and his people are our enemies. It all turned out quite bad. Look where we have gotten. At first Roan and Ontari were our enemies, then our allies, then our friends. Now they’re back at being our enemies.”

“I wonder how this will affect our alliance with the few other islands that allied with us.” Lexa voices her thoughts aloud. “Others may choose to side with Roan and his people.”

“That’s possible, but it’s possible they’ll choose to side with us. We’re the drifters, we have a serious reputation.” Clarke studies her wife’s face. “You’re worried.”

“The conclave has made some doubt us. There are frustrations about the way the children fought each other.” Lexa sighs and close her eyes. She’s tired. “I overheard one of our allies, saying that we would take orphans in so we can train them to be slaughtered in wars.”

“But that’s not even true!” Clarke is frustrated. “Whoever said that is wrong. We didn’t order the children to get so violent with each other. Outsiders don’t understand our ways. I know I was mad at you for the conclave, but I understand now. All the tests are important. The next commander needs to be selected wisely, and train under your command until you are ready to let the next commander lead. It has to be a child who is in general the best for our people, the best chance for the drifters to survive.”

Lexa kisses her wife and smiles at her.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The sun is up again. The drifters are eating breakfast. They know there will be another test today, but aside from Lexa’s special elite team or Lexa’s gang as some call it, nobody knows what it is.

Lexa gathers the children who have participated in the conclave.

“The next test will be about your healing skills. Split up in small groups, and tend to someone’s wounds.” Lexa orders. “Based upon your skills, I will give you points. Those points will be discussed with my elite team. The child with the best healing skills will win this test.”

Kai mutters when he sits down with a small group of children. His healing skills are not good. He never showed any interest in that area. He knows he won’t win this test, but he will try regardless. He hopes to be somewhere in the top ten at least, so he doesn’t drop too low on the score board. After this test, his second place won’t hold anymore. He hopes the other tests that are yet to come will make up for that.

Emily isn’t happy about this test either. She has some healing skills, but they’re pretty basic. She definitely doesn’t excel in it. It’s obvious she’ll never be a healer, no she’s a warrior. She’ll try her best, now that she currently holds the first place.

Aqua is happy about this test. She picked up quite a bunch of healing skills from her mother, Clarke. Currently she has the fourth spot on the score board. This test could bring her higher on that board, depending on how much Emily, Kai, Skye and Lily will drop after this.

Clarke watches closely as the children work on bandaging each other’s wounds. Some really suck at it, Kai for example. Some others are great at it.

Summer and Clay clumsily try to wrap bandages around other children’s wounds.

When the children are done, Lexa and her elite team debate about how well they have done and how they will divide the points.

Clarke holds up a whiteboard and her black marker. She wrote the children’s names on it and their score.

Clarke smiles brightly and points her marker at the name on the top. “Hope has won this test.” She is proud of Hope. She knows her daughter has potential to become a healer.

Hope smiles back at her mother. She won this test. She takes a look at Lincoln’s big scoreboard where the total score is being kept. Winning this test has bumped her up to the top ten.

Aqua comes in second with this test. Due to Kai’s and Emily’s low scores for this test, she jumped up on the scoreboard. She went from the fourth place to the third.

Skye and Lily did well. This test leaves Skye in first place overall so far and Lily in second place. Skye is proud for bumping Emily off of her first place. She wonders what the other tests will be.

Emily and Kai dropped on the scoreboard, but they are still in the top ten.

Lexa holds her hands up to talk. “There is something we have to let you all know.” She points at Lincoln’s scoreboard of the current overall scores. “My elite team and I decided that after the conclave and this test, only the top ten will still be competing in the other tests. The rest shall not be competing anymore. If you are not in the top ten, you will not be competing anymore to become the next commander.”

They had made that decision long ago, not knowing how many children would participate. The conclave was to show their fighting skills, how fierce they can be. The healing test was to show their skills as a healer, to show that they can do more than fight. The child who wins has to be more than a great warrior. What would a leader be if all a leader can do is fighting in a rough way? No, a leader needs to have far more skills than that. If the next commander would have been chosen based solely on the conclave, it might have resulted in having a commander who would only lead the drifters into war. The perfect choice will be someone who can balance, hence the variation of tests.

Octavia looks at Lincoln’s board and nods at Lexa. “If you hear your name, it means you are in the top ten.” She clears her throat. “I’ll call the names out, in a random order.”

The children listen to Octavia. Some already know they are in the top ten, others haven’t looked at the board yet.

“Emily, Kai, Hope, Skye, Lily, Aqua, Blue, Ace, Summer and… Minty.” Octavia calls out

Octavia is surprised about Minty being in the top ten. The healing test landed her in tenth place. Then Summer, which is quite surprising too, although Summer and Clay shared a fifth place after the conclave, thanks to their siblings who protected them long enough to land them high enough. Summer didn’t do so bad in the healing test, which allowed her to stay in the top ten.

Lexa feels proud of her children. Six of them made it to the top ten. That is more than she had anticipated. She feels like Summer might not have reached the top ten, if it wasn’t for her siblings protecting her so much in the conclave. She didn’t expect to see Minty in the top ten either.

Aden and Ellis are proud that Ace made it to the top ten, even though his two siblings, Buck and Eva, haven’t.

Clarke smiles happily at her wife. She has taught their children well. She’s amazed that six of them are in the top ten. There are still more tests to come, but at least they won’t have to beat up each other anymore.

“In two weeks from new the next test will take place.” Lexa announces. “For now, you may all rest and regain your strength.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Raven had agreed with the gang to hang out on the beach at night, while the others sleep. This time Lincoln has been asked too, and Ellis as well. It’s more like a couple group hang out or something like that.

Anya is sitting down on the sand with her wife in her lap. She kisses Raven’s neck and whispers sweet nothings in her ears.

Clarke and Lexa are sitting next to each other. They’re smiling at each other like two puppies who are in love.

“It’s amazing how you both have been together for twenty years.” Raven whispers. “Like wow, seriously.” She looks at Clarke and Lexa.

“Right back at you.” Clarke says with a wink. “You and Anya have been together for twenty years as well.”

“It’s been amazing.” Anya hums. “And it still is, of course.”

Aden is holding hands with his wife. He’s happy that this time Ellis is invited to hang with them. Maybe now they will behave and not shave his legs.

Ellis kisses her husband’s cheek. She likes that they bothered to invite her. She knows they have their own special little group, because they grew up each other.

Octavia is smiling at her husband like an idiot. She’s happy to have Lincoln here with her. Maybe now she won’t have to go through any awkward moments.

Raven rubs her hands together. “Alright, we have eight players this time instead of six.”

Octavia groans. “Please tell me you’re going to behave tonight, Raven.”

“Can’t make any promises.” Raven playfully winks at her wife and smirks.

Anya rolls her eyes and kisses her wife. “You’re an idiot.”

“You love me anyway, and I know it.”

Clarke looks up. “The stars are so beautiful.” She likes to simply look at them. She could be happy doing just that for hours.

“Y’all ready?” Raven asks. When they groan in return, she laughs. “Chill, it’ll be random, you can pass if you like.”

“How considerate.” Clarke replies sarcastically.

Raven looks at Lincoln. “What’s one of your favorite memories you have about Octavia?”

Lincoln smiles brightly while memories play through his mind. “One of my favorite memories is from the first day I got onto this island. She was feeding me some berries and there was just something special about her, something sweet and endearing. I knew right there and then that I’d fall for her, and I did.”

Octavia kisses Lincoln’s cheek. “I love you so much.”

“So Raven, what’s one of your most cherished memories with Anya?” Clarke asks curiously.

Raven takes a deep breath. “One memory that I cherish a lot is from the first day we kissed. Anya was sitting alone, I went to sit with her and we talked. In that moment she was so real, and I was able to look into her heart. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

“Awe, that’s so sweet.” Clarke whispers.

Raven blushes fervently at Clarke’s comment. She has her moments sometimes, especially with her wife. Anya is everything to her.

Anya looks at Ellis and wants to include her more into their group. “Ellis, mind sharing a beautiful memory you have about Aden?”

Ellis takes Aden’s hand and looks around. “I remember how he kept giving me flowers because he liked me. He has always been sweet to me. He was shy to approach me and I was a bit shy too.”

Raven winks at Ellis. “You and Aden are great together, really.” She smacks her lips. “Your triplets are adorable.”

“They’re growing up so fast.” Ellis replies. “Sometimes I think that if I blink my eyes too long, they will suddenly be adults.”

“Oh I totally get what you mean.” Clarke pitches in. “I feel the same about my children.”

“Aqua is fifteen. It won’t be long before she is an adult.” Lexa notes.

“Thank god Summer and Clay are still little.” Clarke says with relief lingering in her voice.

“You would baby them forever.” Lexa whispers to her wife.

Clarke rolls her eyes and looks at her wife. “As if you wouldn’t do that.”

“I can’t believe Kai is sixteen already.” Raven says with a surprised tone. “He’s not really even a child anymore. He’s a man already if you ask me.”

 Anya looks at Lexa. “So about all those tests and everything for the children, are we going to reveal the fact that the child who wins gets to choose a right hand, like you got Octavia as your right hand, and like Clarke has Aden as her right hand?”

Ellis and Lincoln look up at this information. They didn’t know this, because only Lexa’s elite team does, and they’re not a part of that team.

Lexa holds a finger to her lips, to indicate that they have to keep this quiet.

Ellis and Lincoln both nod in silence. They won’t tell anyone.

“It will be a surprise.” Lexa says. “It is not yet to be revealed.”

“I wonder how the children will react once they know.” Raven whispers. “The child that wins will be thrilled, but the other children are going to be thrilled when they hear that the winner can choose one of them as their right hand.” She looks at Lexa. “It’s so cool that you’ll be training the child who wins to be the next commander, and that you’ll be training a second child so they can be a decent right hand.”

“Keep it on the down low, okay?” Lexa whispers back. “If word gets out, I will know where to find you.”

Clarke wraps her arms around her wife’s waist and leans her head on Lexa’s shoulder. “Some of the children would make excellent right hands, Kai and Emily for example. They’re both good young warriors.”

“I second that.” Octavia agrees. “Though, Emily might actually win, or Kai.”

Clarke nods. “Yeah that’s true.”

“It feels like your children have more shots at winning.” Anya comments. “I mean, you got six children in those last ten. Raven and I only got one kid.”

Lexa chuckles lightly. “Thank god you only have Kai. Can you imagine if there would be more?”

“Pssh please, that would make the perfect army.” Raven snorts. “It would be perfect.”

Lexa holds her hand up to silence Raven. “Perfect if we want war, yes. Otherwise, no.” She licks her lips. “Drifters do not seek war, we seek peace. We go to war when it is needed, to defeat enemies who are a threat.”

They laugh together and talk about a bunch of things, mostly about old times.

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Shhh, be quiet.” Raven whispers. She holds a finger to her mouth to emphasize her words.

“Why do we have to be silent?” Clarke asks while keeping her voice low.

They had been talking for a while and laughed about things, reminiscing.

Raven points her finger in the distance, where two figures can be seen.

Lexa turns around to look. She’s sitting down on the sand in the dark with Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia, Lincoln, Aden and Ellis, so whoever snuck out of their hut probably doesn’t know they’re outside. Sometimes people sneak out at night. It’s not exactly forbidden.

Raven crawls silently over the sand and gestures her hand for the others to follow her. It’s funny how she’s down on her hands and her knees to crawl forward.

Lexa nods and they all silently follow Raven. If anyone saw them right now, they would laugh. They look ridiculous crawling around on all fours.

When they’re close enough, they’re between the trees, where the two figures had disappeared. What they’re seeing is not what they would have ever, ever, ever guessed to see, ever. Seriously, never ever, ever.

Octavia’s jaw drops. “Emily!?” Her shocked loud tone breaks the silence.

“Kai!?” Raven is as shocked as Octavia.

They all gasp at what they just saw.

Kai and Emily jump up, completely startled by the sudden voices.

The adults stare at each other, a mix of shock and confusion plastered on their faces. They’re looking at each other as if they’re asking each other with their eyes who will say something about it first.

Raven gathers herself first and blurts it out. “You two are second cousins! You’re family…” She tries to steady herself. “You shouldn’t be kissing each other!”

When Raven saw two figures sneaking around, she would have been able to take a wild guess that one of them could be Kai. Though, there is nothing that could have prepared her to catch her son kissing Emily. What on earth were they thinking? They’re family for christ sakes!

Octavia shifts her eyes between Emily and Kai. “How… how long?” She wants to know how long they have been sneaking around like that.

Emily blushes and looks down at the sand between the trees. “You all kind of uh… witnessed our first kiss.” She looks at her parents with a bashful smile. “So yeah um, thanks a lot mom and dad.”

“Yes, and thanks a lot for watching our first kiss.” Kai says with annoyance in his voice. He holds Emily protectively in his arms.

“But you’re second cousins of each other!” Anya shouts so loud she might wake up all the other drifters. “Lincoln is my cousin and he’s Emily’s father! You’re related!”

Kai shakes his head. “Don’t give me that crap.”

“Kai, language!” Lexa shouts while rolling her eyes. Now Kai sounds like Raven.

Raven takes her wife’s hand. “You’re second cousins you shouldn’t be kissing.”

Kai huffs and holds Emily closer. “I know better than that. You might all say we’re second cousins of each other, but I’m adopted okay. I’m not related to this family!”

Anya has tears in her eyes. “Kai, how can you say that? You’re my son.” It hurts her to hear her son say that.

Raven joins her wife. “We raised you, you’re ours.”

“I know you both raised me, and yes I’m your son, but I’m also adopted.” Kai argues. “I really, really like Emily. I heard some drifters say that in certain places it is accepted when second cousins are together, and since we’re not truly related, I thought it wouldn’t be such a big deal.”

Emily grasps Kai’s hand. “I really like Kai.” She takes a deep breath. “I wouldn’t do anything with family, but Kai is… well you know, what he said.”

“Seeing Emily fight so fiercely truly made me fall for her.” Kai says earnestly.

Raven, Anya, Octavia and Lincoln turn to Lexa for answers.

Lexa sighs deeply. “This is…”

What should she say? That it is a scandal? Is it? Yes and no…Kai has a point, but it still seems wrong… What if one of her own children thinks in a similar way? What if Lily for example at some point thinks like oh hey she’s adopted and her cousin Ace for example would be okay to date? In that case Aqua may as well jump her brother, Blue since oh well, they’re both adopted and not actually related. She doesn’t want to send a message to her people that would say that if they’re not related by blood they could be together. No, that would be wrong. For some people second cousins are not a big deal. She never truly made a rule about this, because she never would have guessed this would ever even be a thing at all. She is the commander, she should say something.

Lexa clears a throat. All eyes are on her. “This is an abomination.”

Emily glares at Lexa. “Kai and I are not even related. Even if we would truly have been second cousins, it still would not be such a big deal.” She feels like the adults are overreacting.

“This is… It’s wrong.” Lexa whispers. “It’s… just no.”

“Even if you prohibit this, Emily and I won’t stop.” Kai promises. He keeps Emily wrapped up in his arms. “Emily is mine and I’m hers.”

Emily smiles and gently strokes Kai’s arm that’s wrapped around her.

Octavia leans closer to Lexa to whisper in her ear without the others overhearing her. “I don’t want my daughter to be banished. If you forbid this, I know she’ll be stubborn and sneak out to keep doing this with Kai. If you banish her for this, I will go with her. She’s my child and I love her. I’m loyal to you and I have always wanted to be the best warrior and right hand I could be for you, but my daughter will always be my top priority. I would die for her.”

Octavia is not happy about this whole situation, but her daughter is her little angel. She would walk through fire for Emily. If Lexa would punish them for this, there is no way she’d stand idly by to watch Lexa do that. If Lexa decides to banish them for this, she will leave with her daughter. She knows how strict Lexa can be. Technically there is no rule about this, or at least not yet. Surely Lexa will make one now.

Raven and Anya are crying in each other’s arms. They’re upset about Kai pointing out that he’s adopted and not related to any of them. Kai is their son, theirs. They raised him. They gave him clothes, food and so much more. They trained him, but most importantly, they loved him and they still do. They would gut anyone who tries to say he wouldn’t be theirs. It’s a weak spot for them to hear such things. They painfully remember how Harper once commented that back in civilization second cousins can end up together, and how Harper said it would be possible for Emily and Kai to end up together because they have always been close. Harper made a remark saying ‘ _Kai is adopted anyway_.’ It turns out that Harper was right after all.

Lexa swallows thickly. She has made so many decisions for her people as their commander, yet this one feels heavier than the other decisions she has made. The decision she will make now will send a message to all her people. The question is which message does she want to send? Kiss thy family if you’re not actually related? No. She sees the way Kai and Emily are looking at each other.

“Family is not allowed to be together.” Lexa says evenly. “However, since you two are second cousins and…” She offers Anya and Raven an apologetic look. “Not actually related, I will condone it. If, your parents accept what you two have.”

Octavia whispers with Lincoln about it, before voicing their opinion. “We will allow it, for the sake of our daughter.”

Anya and Raven stare at each other and nod. “We will allow it, because we want our son to be happy.” Anya’s voice sounds small and fragile.

Kai smiles brightly and hugs his mothers. “Thanks, you’re the best parents I could ever ask for.” He caresses their cheeks to catch their tears. “I never meant to hurt you.”

Emily jumps in her father’s arms.

Lexa turns around on the ball of her foot. “I will make a note about it tomorrow. This exception will not count for cousins and most certainly not for siblings, adopted or not.”

Kai happily takes Emily’s hand. Together they walk around on the beach in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has always been my intention to make Kai and Emily end up together, to shock the other drifters. 
> 
> I think some people are not going to agree with that, but oh well... I think Kai and Emily are perfect together.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ontari is actually chill in my story.

“Do you trust me, Clarke?”

Clarke takes a deep breath. “Of course I trust you, Lexa. But, do you really have to go? It’s night. Whatever it is, can’t you do it tomorrow during the day or something?”

Lexa kisses the crown of her wife’s head. “I will come back to you, I promise.”

Clarke looks at her wife. She knows Lexa. She knows that determined look in her wife’s eyes. Lexa is not going to let this go, she can tell. “Okay… I’ll be waiting for you.”

“I should be back in the morning, when the sun rises.”

Clarke bites her lip. “And if you’re not…?”

Clarke is worried. She doesn’t think it’s safe for her wife to go somewhere alone. None of them ever went away alone. If they go somewhere, it’s always with at least a small group. What if something bad happens to her wife? She doesn’t want to imagine how much that will hurt her.

Lexa takes her wife’s hand. “If I don’t return, you will be taking my place. Take care of our children, and know that I will always find you in the next. I am bound to you for eternity.” She kisses Clarke and looks deeply into her concerned blue eyes. “I have to do this to set things right. I love you, Clarke.”

Clarke swallows thickly. “I love you too, Lexa.”

Lexa stands up and walks to the exit of their hut. She turns around to look at her wife. “May we meet again.”

“May we meet again.”

Lexa tries to ignore the pain in her heart she feels right now. She has to do this. It’s her fault, she has to fix things. She doesn’t want to take anyone else with her. There’s no point to put any of her people in danger, especially not her wife. If something goes wrong, Clarke will be the commander and she will have to continue those tests with the children.

Lexa runs towards the beach, where she has a small motorboat near the water. She pushes it into the water and hops in it. She looks at her island. This is right.

 

* * *

 

 

Roan crosses his arms. “Look who’s trespassing now.” He looks at Lexa who is surrounded by a few of his guards.

Lexa had a feeling this wasn’t going to be easy. She holds her hands up in front of her, a sign of surrendering. “I came here unarmed.”

Roan laughs. “You, unarmed? I know how sneaky the drifters are, you’re always hiding a dagger somewhere.” He motions to one of his guards. “Search her.”

Lexa would usually get angry. How dare they touch her? How dare they search her? She should be respected, but Roan’s people are no longer allies. She can’t expect their respect.

“All clear, sir.” The guard says.

“Well I’ll be damned.” Roan scratches his beard. “The commander on my island, in the middle of the night, alone, unarmed. I could easily kill you right now, but there would be no honor in that.”

Lexa doesn’t agree that it would be easy to kill her. She doesn’t need weapons to be deadly. She bites her lip and decides not to comment on that.

Roan takes a step closer. “Tell me, commander. What brings you here?” He waves to a few of his guards to search the water, to make sure she didn’t bring an army. To make sure this isn’t a trap.

Lexa looks at Roan. “I am not here as the commander. Tonight I am here as a mother.”

Roan scoffs. “You want me to believe that?”

“I want what is best for my daughter, like I want what is best for all my children, all my people.”

“You made it very clear what you want!” Roan shouts. “I don’t have to listen to anything you say. Our alliance is gone. You ridiculed my people’s tradition.”

Lexa takes a deep breath. “I know I have made mistakes.” She hates it when she has to admit that she was wrong.

“Guards, lock her up.” Roan orders.

“Guards stop.” Ontari’s voice rings through the cool night air. She looks at Roan. “You heard what she said, she is here as a mother, she made mistakes. Hear her out.”

Roan shakes his head. “Ontari, now is not a good time for any of this.”

“Think about Hunter, Roan.” Ontari whispers.

Roan holds his hand up for his guards to stop. “Say what you have to say, commander.”

“Tonight, I am here as Lexa, as a mother.”

“What do you have to say, Lexa?” Roan is getting impatient. “It’s the middle of the night.”

“It was wrong of me to break our alliance. However, the alliance is not why I am here.” Lexa sighs deeply. “I am here for my daughter, Aqua. My wife and I believe that she likes your son. We did not respond well to your tradition. Aqua is fifteen. We were concerned that she would be taken away from us.”

Ontari nods at Lexa. “I can understand that. It would be hard if we’d see Hunter taken away from us.” She nudges Roan with her elbow.

Roan rubs the back of his neck. “Ah yes…That would be difficult.”

“When you talked about your tradition, I was picturing Aqua being taken from us. Not just from my wife and me, but also from the others. I am not here to ask you to create an alliance again. All I am here for is to let you know that Hunter is welcome on my island. He may see Aqua, as long as Aqua wishes to see him.” Lexa clears her throat. This is one of the toughest things she ever had to do. “When Aqua turns eighteen and wishes to be with your son, my wife and I will give our blessing.”

Roan holds his hand out to Lexa. “I accept.” He smiles warmly. “If you don’t mind, I want our alliance back. We have common allies, and being allies is easier. I do not wish to declare a war on the drifters.”

Lexa shakes Roan’s hand. “Allies it is.”

Ontari swings her arms around their shoulders and sees them both looking surprised. “You two are idiots. No offenses, but seriously you both are. We’ve been friends for years. You know, for you two being leaders, you can both make the dumbest decisions sometimes.” She nudges them playfully

Ontari looks at Lexa. “Is Aqua as mad at you as Hunter is mad at us?”

Lexa nods.

“I got an idea.” Ontari smiles and waves her hand. “Follow me.”

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke is sitting around the campfire with a bowl of fruit. She got up a bit before the sun would, waiting for her wife to return. She wonders what that dork got herself into this time.

Lexa sees her wife sitting on a tree log. She runs up to her and kisses her.

Clarke chuckles lightly. “It’s good to see you too, I’ve missed you.”

Lexa takes a berry from her wife’s bowl. “I missed you too, Clarke.”

“So are you going to tell me what your nightly adventure was about?”

Lexa nods. “Yes, I-”

“Good morning, early birds!” Octavia greets them with a wide smile.

Clarke and Lexa watch as the drifters begin to appear around the campfire. They must all be getting up. The drifters are always early risers.

Kai and Emily are holding each other’s hand and are smiling at each other.

Lily tilts her head and looks at them. “Uh… what are they doing? Why are they holding hands?”

Octavia looks at Lexa and shifts her eyes quickly between Emily and Lexa, trying to signal that Lexa should say something.

Lexa gives her wife an apologetic smile. She stands up and clears her throat to gather everyone’s attention.

“Drifters, as you all know, Kai and Emily are second cousins from each other.” Lexa looks around and sees her people nod. “It has been brought to my attention that in certain places, it is okay for second cousins to be together.” She sees a few of her people scrunching their nose up, this is promising. “I have made a new rule. Second cousins are allowed to be together.”

A few drifters spit their water out. “What!?”

Lexa holds her hands up to silence them. “I will allow second cousins to be together. First cousins and siblings will not be allowed to be together.” She point at Kai and Emily. “Kai and Emily are together. You will all respect that. If you have any complaints, you know where to find me.” She looks at her people, as if challenging them to say something.

The drifters wisely keep their mouth shut. They wouldn’t dare to defy their commander.

“Great, so they can be together.” Aqua snickers. “Good for them.”

Lexa sits down next to Aqua. “I know you are upset, and I understand.”

Aqua moves to sit further away from her mother. “No, you don’t understand. You don’t know what it’s like. You don’t understand what it’s like to feel something for… the enemy.” She spits out the last words.

“You do not feel something for the enemy.”

Aqua glares at her mother. “Yes. I. Do.”

Lexa stands up and reaches her hand out for Aqua. “Take my hand.” She sees her daughter shaking her head. “Please, I have a surprise for you.”

Aqua sighs and takes her mother’s hand.

“Close your eyes.” Lexa whispers.

Aqua grumbles and closes her eyes. She hears the drifters around her gasp. That doesn’t sound good.

Lexa whispers in her daughter’s ear. “You can open your eyes now.” She sees her wife crying and smiling at her.

Aqua opens her eyes. Hunter is standing in front of her. His parents are standing next to him.

“Hunter!” Aqua shouts and wraps her arms around his neck.

“Ow, careful, my wounds.” Hunter whispers. He smiles at Aqua. “It is a pleasure to see you again.”

Aqua pulls away a bit. Her wounds are hurting too, but right now she doesn’t care about that. “You’re here, you’re really here!” Tears roll down her cheeks. “How…” She turns around and looks at Lexa. “You…”

Lexa smiles and nods. “Drifters, Roan and his people are not our enemies.”

Clarke smiles proudly at her wife and takes her hand.

Lexa kisses her wife’s cheek and whispers in her ear. “Is this okay?”

“Of course this is okay, you dork.” Clarke laughs a bit. “Aqua looks so happy.”

Lexa sees Raven crying. “Raven, are you… crying?”

Raven shakes her head. “No…” Her voice sounds tiny and broken. “I just eh… I got something in my eye.” She sees Clarke and Lexa laughing at her. “Okay this is a beautiful moment alright.”

Hunter takes Aqua’s hand. “You should visit me sometime, on my island.”

Aqua turns around and looks at her mothers.

Lexa can feel her wife squeezing her hand really hard. She knows what Clarke is feeling. Seeing their fifteen year old daughter go somewhere without them, it would be very difficult.

Roan places one of his hands on Hunter’s shoulder. “Perhaps after Aqua is done with all the tests?” He looks at Lexa.

Lexa nods. “Aqua is in the top ten for those tests. When the tests are done…” She tries to ignore the lump in her throat. “When the tests are done, Aqua may visit Hunter.”

Clarke walks over to Roan and grasps his arm, to pull him aside so they can talk privately.

“If anything happens to Aqua, I will find you and I will kill you slowly. I will hurt you until you nearly die, then I will let you heal only to do it all over again. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be begging me to kill you.” Clarke’s voice is laced with venom. “My family is everything to me.”

Roan nods. “Understood.”

Clarke smiles. “Good, very good.” She points towards the campfire. “So, breakfast?”

Roan knows that this is not a basic threat. As a king, he should kill anyone who threatens him. As a parent, he can see that Clarke is a concerned parent who only wants the best for her child. He has known Clarke for many years. Clarke’s wrath would possibly be ten times worse than Lexa’s wrath if Aqua would get hurt. Clarke is like a lioness and her children are her cubs. There is nothing more deadly than an angry parent.

 

* * *

 

 

“Dad, you’re here!” Clarke happily runs towards her father.

Jake smiles at his daughter. “Hey kiddo, good to see you.”

Clarke rolls her eyes. “I’m thirty-two, dad.” She knows he’ll never stop calling her that.

“How are my grandchildren doing?”

As if on cue, Jake sees his grandchildren running towards him. He kneels down to hug them.

“You’re all getting big.” Jake notes. He looks at Clay and Summer. “Never grow up, okay?”

Clay and Summer nod vigorously.

Jake has a sad look on his face when he sees how wounded Aqua, Blue, River, Hope, Skye and Lily are.

Clarke catches his gaze at the children. “Rough conclave.” She feels like that says enough.

Hunter holds his hand out for Jake. “You must be Aqua’s grandfather. It is a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“Yes, that’s me.” Jake smiles at the well-mannered boy. “Who are you?”

“My name is Hunter. I am the prince. Aqua is my girlfriend.”

“Ah so someone conquered my granddaughter’s heart.” Gustus says, showing up next to Jake.

Hunter holds his hand out towards Gustus. “You must be Aqua’s other grandfather. Pleasure to meet you, sir.”

Gustus waves his hand. “Call me Gustus.”

Lexa turns around to look at Roan. “You son is well-mannered.” She reprimands. “You raised him well.”

Roan has a sparkle of pride in his eyes.

Lexa invites her father and Jake to have lunch with her and her people.

 

* * *

 

 

Jake nudges Gustus. “Let’s see if we’re still up to date with everything here. Shall we, brother?”

Gustus nods. “We shall.”

Jake looks around. “Hope and Rosie are together.”

Hope smiles cheekily and holds Rosie close. “Yes, grandfather, we are.”

“Skye and Minty are together.” Gustus says, taking his turn.

Skye grins widely. “You bet!” She kisses Minty’s cheek.

“Hmm.” Jake thinks for a moment. “Raven is still teasing Octavia.”

Raven throws a berry at Jake’s head.

Octavia laughs. “Everyone knows Raven.”

“Thanks for the support, O.” Raven mocks. “I’ll keep that in mind next time we play.”

“That’s so not going to happen.”

“I am with Octavia on this.” Lexa adds quickly.

Gustus eyes Kai and Emily curiously. “I have a feeling Kai found someone as well.”

Kai’s head snaps up in his grandfather’s direction. “Yes, I’m with Emily.”

Gustus tries not to choke on his water. Kai is the son of his eldest daughter. Emily is the daughter of his nephew. How did this… does he even want to know?

“Lexa allowed it.” Anya mumbles. “They’re in love.”

Harper pipes up. “I totally called this years ago already! In civilization nobody would care when second cousins end up together.”

Raven rolls her eyes. “Good for you, Harper. Want a fucking prize now?” She still has some anger lingering from the comment Harper made years ago, about Kai being adopted anyway.

“Raven, language!” Lexa warns. “Every time…”

Raven shrugs. “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

“You’re incorrigible.” Anya says to her wife.

“I do not like those books you read, Raven.” Lexa says with a serious tone. “You are stubborn.”

Octavia notices the awkward tension. “So uh, one more week and the next test will take place for the top ten.”

The children listen closely, hoping to catch anything interesting about what the next test would be.

Lexa holds one hand up. “It is not yet to be revealed. However, what I will reveal is that after the next two tests, only seven children will be left to compete in the other tests.”

Aqua, Blue, Hope, Skye, Lily, Summer, Minty, Emily, Kai and Ace look at each other now that they know that after two more tests, only seven of them will be left. They’re all aware that in the end there will only be one winner.

Aqua takes a deep breath. “I want to give up my spot. Another child can take my place.”

Lexa looks at her daughter. “Why?”

“I won’t be the next commander. Even if I would win, I won’t be taking your place.” Aqua glances over at Hunter. “I’ll be with Hunter.”

Lexa swallows thickly and tries to steady her nerves. “Lincoln.”

“Yes, commander?”

“You have been keeping the scores. Let me know who number eleven was.” Lexa’s voice is calm, even though her nerves aren’t. “That child will take Aqua’s place in the top ten.”

Lincoln nods and leaves so he can check the board.

Lexa struggles with this. Aqua and Blue are her eldest children. A part of her has been hoping one of them will win. Now Aqua is not in the top ten anymore. Blue is. All the children deserve it, but she can’t help it that she wishes one of her own will win.

Clarke knows how hard this must be for her wife. It isn’t easy for her either. In three years from now Aqua will be eighteen. It would pain her to see her daughter leave, and now that Aqua pulled out of the competition, it feels as if her daughter is already saying goodbye.

Lincoln returns. “River was number eleven on the score board. Now that Aqua is out, he is number ten.”

Lexa nods. “River will be competing, if he wants to.”

River stands up. “Yes, I want to!” He puffs his chest out.

“You should all get some rest.” Lexa instructs.

 

* * *

 

 

When a week has finally passed, Lexa gathers Blue, River, Hope, Skye, Lily, Summer, Emily, Kai, Ace and Minty, along with her elite team.

Lexa stands in front of them to talk. “Good morning, children. Today there will be two tests.” She clasps her hands behind her back and walks back and forth in front of them. “A good leader has to be able to do more than fight and heal his or her people. So far we have seen how you can fight. We have seen how you can heal others. A good leader has to be able to provide food for his or her people.”

Octavia walks up to Lexa with spears in her arms.

Lexa points at the spears in Octavia’s arms. “Now, you will spear fish.” She gestures to Raven. “Raven has a…” She looks at Raven. “What is it called?”

“A stopwatch.” Raven replies.

“Right, yes.” Lexa turns back to the children. “Raven has a stopwatch. She will set it for half an hour. When the time is up, the child who speared the most fish will have ten points, the child who spears the least fish will have one point.

Octavia drops the spears. “Children, take a spear.”

The children hurry towards the spears and grab one.

Raven takes her stopwatch and nods at Lexa.

“You may begin, now.” Lexa says.

The children run into the water.

Kai and Emily smile at each other. This should be easy for them. They can do this.

Hope stands very still in the water. If she is calm, she can become one with the water, and the fish will come to her.

Ace is wildly throwing his spear into the water. He spears his own foot instead of a fish.

Skye and Lily are standing next to each other. This is not a big deal, they got this.

Minty is calm in the water. Her tiny posture makes small movements.

Lexa, Clarke, Anya, Raven, Octavia and Aden watch closely.

Lincoln holds a whiteboard and a marker. The children’s names are on it. Each time one of them spears a fish he uses the marker to place a stripe behind their name.

“Time’s up!” Raven shouts.

The children get out of the water. They know for themselves how good or how bad they did, but they don’t know how well the others did.

Lexa takes the whiteboard from Lincoln and looks at it. The scores from this test will be counted up to the scores of the conclave and the healing test. “Kai has won this test.”

Kai smiles proudly. He finally won something.

Lexa is pleased. Emily won the conclave, Hope won the healing test and Kai won the test to spear fish. If the children keep this up, it might be a close call in the end.

Octavia moves between the trees.

Lexa instructs the children to follow Octavia and the rest of her elite team.

Raven grabs her stopwatch.

Lexa points up at a tree. “One by one, you will climb to the top of that tree and climb back down. A good leader has to be able to climb well. Raven will keep the time. The fastest child wins this test. The slowest child get the least points.”

Raven holds her stopwatch ready. “When I say go, that’s when you go.” She points at Kai. “You can go first.”

Kai stands next to the tree on the spot where Lexa made a line in the sand. When his mother gives him the signal he can go, he climbs up the tree. He loves climbing trees. He has been climbing trees since he was very little.

When Kai is back down, Raven whispers his time to Lincoln so he can put it on the whiteboard.

One by one, all the children get a chance to climb the tree. Summer struggles with it the most. The other children seem to climb it with ease.

Lexa and Clarke don’t blame Summer for struggling with it. Summer is only six years old. She has learned how to climb a tree, but she is not fast about it.

Raven whistles when she looks at the whiteboard with all their times on it. “Well I’ll be damned.”

“Raven!” Lexa warns.

“What? I’m just impressed that’s all.” Raven shrugs. She looks at her son. “Someone beat your time.”

Kai’s jaw drops. Someone climbed faster than him? Could it be Emily? He has always been fast up the trees.

Lexa is surprised. She thought Kai was going to win this one. Kai likes to climb trees, it’s his second nature. “Well, who has won?”

Raven smirks and looks at the children. “Minty has won.”

The children all look at Minty, the little ten year old girl with her black hair and tiny freckles who has the same height as six year old Summer, the girl who wouldn’t have been competing at all if it wasn’t for her girlfriend, Skye who is competing too.

Minty smiles up at them. She likes climbing trees. When the others were always practicing things, she would sneak away and climb up the trees. On the island where she came from, she was always climbing trees too. She’s little. With her small posture and her sleek black hair, most of the time people don’t notice her.

Lexa clears her throat. “Lincoln, add the scores from those two tests to their other scores. Let me know who our top seven is.”

Lincoln nods and walks away with the whiteboard.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is sitting on the beach with the other drifters. They’re all waiting. She wants them all to hear who the top seven is.

Lincoln walks up to Lexa. He finally finished adding the children’s new scores to their old ones. He whispers in Lexa’s ear who the top seven is.

Lexa stands up.

The children sit up straight to listen who the top seven is.

Lexa clears her throat. “If you hear your name, you are in the top seven and will still be able to compete for the other tests.” She looks at the children. “Kai, Emily, Blue, Hope, Skye, Lily and Minty.”

River stares down at the sand. He tried and he didn’t make it. He’s not the best climber and his spearing skills are mediocre.

Ace is slightly disappointed, but he could have guessed he wouldn’t make it after he speared his foot instead of a fish.

Summer doesn’t care about it. She just wants to go play with her twin brother.

Lexa is proud that four of her children made it to the top seven. She wonders how the next test will go for them.

“The next test will be when the night falls.” Clarke announces. “We will expect our top seven here at the beach.”

Lexa gathers her elite team to go over some details. She leads them to her hut so they can talk privately.

“Anya, have you written it all down like I asked you to?” Lexa asks curiously.

Anya nods. “Yes, it’s all written down. We’re all set for that quiz.”

“I think it’s a good thing that there’s a variation of tests.” Clarke notes.

“A leader has to be flexible and well-rounded.” Lexa is serious about this. “It is important.”

Raven smirks and looks at Lexa. “How flexible are you?”

Lexa leans closer to Raven’s face, until she is only a few inches away. “Ask Clarke, she knows.”

Clarke blushes and grasps her wife’s shirt to pull her back. “Right so the quiz, we should go over some details.”

Raven snorts. “Whatever you say, Clarke.”

Lexa, Clarke, Anya, Raven, Octavia and Aden discuss the quiz. It’s an important test, certainly no less than the tests they have already been through.

 

* * *

 

 

When the night has fallen, Skye, Lily, Emily, Kai, Minty, Hope and Blue are sitting down on the beach. The others have already gone to their huts.

Lexa sits down in a circle with them, along with her elite team.

“A good leader needs to have more abilities than fighting, healing and gathering food for his or her people.” Lexa says with a stern voice. “A good leader needs to have a strong mind.”

Octavia holds some cards in her hands that Anya had made. She looks at Lexa and waits for her to nod. “Okay children, when I ask something, you will each answer, in turns. When I point at you, you’ll answer. You are allowed to give the same answer someone else did, but it is preferred you give us your own answer.”

Lexa takes the first card from Octavia and reads what’s on it. “What will you do when an enemy attacks?” She points at Kai first.

Kai sits up. “When an enemy attacks, I will kill them of course.”

“Hmm.” Lexa looks at Kai. “That makes sense.” She points at Hope.

Hope sees her mother pointing at her next. “When an enemy attacks, I will ask to have a word with their leader, to hear why they are attacking us.”

“That sounds peaceful.” Lexa replies. She thinks something like that would not go so well. When an enemy attacks, they’re clearly not attacking to talk. She points at Emily.

Emily clears her throat. “When an enemy attacks, I will kill all of them aside from one. That one will be questioned by me. When I have enough answers, I’ll kill that one too.”

Lexa nods and says nothing. That’s exactly what she would do as well. She points at Minty.

“When an enemy attacks…” Minty licks her lips like she’s thinking about it. “I will sneak up on them from the shadows and use an element of surprise to attack them back.”

Lexa is surprised. She didn’t think Minty would attack enemies. When Minty said shadows, she thought Minty was going to say she’d hide. Hmm, not bad. She points at Blue.

Blue looks at his mother. “When an enemy attacks, I will ensure the children are being kept safe while I gather the adults to fight.”

Lexa likes his answer. Keeping the children safe is important. She points at Skye.

Skye crosses her arms. “When an enemy attacks, I’ll make sure they know the drifters are not to be messed with. I’ll write our names with their blood.”

Lexa is shocked. She didn’t think Skye would be so… murderous. She conceals it with a stoic look on her face and points at Lily.

“When an enemy attacks, I’ll break all their bones and make them wish they never attacked us. When I’m done breaking their bones, I’ll slit their throats.”

Lexa looks at her wife. She sees Clarke is just as shocked as she is. Since when are their twins so brutal? Their answers are not bad, but they’re really vile. It would strongly depend on what those enemies do, to determine if they deserve such a fate or not.

Lexa whispers with her elite team about the points. They agree that Emily should get the most points for this first question. They unanimous agree that Emily’s answer was the best.

Clarke takes a card for the second question. “What will do you when a drifter stabs another drifter to hurt them on purpose? They’re not battling. It is simply one drifter stabbing another for no reason.”

Kai is quick to reply. “I will kill that drifter.”

Lexa wants to interrupt this time, so she does. “Kai, is your answer always to kill? You say when an enemy attacks you will kill them, and when one of our own people stabs someone else of our people, you will kill them. If the drifter who has been stabbed survives, will you still kill the drifter who stabbed them?”

Kai nods. “Zero tolerance.”

Lexa glares at Kai. “What if others retaliate when you kill that drifter?”

“Then I’ll have to kill them too.”

“What if all the drifters retaliate?” Lexa challenges him.

Kai looks fearless as always, even the commander cannot intimate him. “In that case they can fight me.”

“You would fight all of our people?”

“If I have to, yes.”

Lexa clears her throat. “I heard enough.” She points at Emily.

Emily looks up. “If a drifter stabs one of our people, I will make it clear we do not attack our own and I will banish that drifter.”

“I will sit down with them and talk.” Hope whispers. “I’ll ask that drifter why they stabbed one of our own. Perhaps something happened or it could be bottled up frustrations.”

“I would let the drifter who is stabbed stab the drifter who stabbed them.” Minty replies coolly. “An eye for an eye.”

“I would banish that drifter.” Blue says.

“I’ll fight that drifter, to teach them a lesson.” Skye says.

“Oh I agree with Skye!” Lily chimes in.

Lexa stands up and grabs the cards. “Forget about the cards, I heard more than enough already.” She grabs the whiteboard to scribble down the scores with the marker.

The children look at Lexa and wait for what she’ll say.

Lexa glares for a while at Kai, before finally talking. “Emily wins this test. I like your answers, Emily. What you said sounds like what I would do as well. You show potential. You were excellent in the conclave when you won. Your healing skills are not great, but not all bad either. You know how to collect food and you can climb a tree fast. Go to your hut, get some rest. I expect you back here when the sun rises.”

Emily smiles proudly and gets up to go to her hut. She likes it when Lexa talks about her in a positive way. She learned a lot from her mother, Octavia.

Lexa looks at Hope. “Hope, in the conclave you showed us that you are willing to protect those who are the most vulnerable. You were amazing during the healer test, which you won. Your skills to collect food and to climb trees are decent. The answers you gave are not good enough. You are peaceful, you always have been. With the way you would act, people assume they can walk all over you. My elite team and I agree that you are unfit to lead. We do find you suitable to be a healer. If you accept, you will be a healer.”

Hope stands up. “I would love to be a healer.”

Lexa smiles at her daughter and caresses her cheek. “Let your girlfriend, Rosie, know that she is a healer now too. You will not be participating anymore. Go to your hut and get some rest.”

Hope hugs her mothers. “I love you both.”

Clarke kisses Hope’s cheek. “We love you too. I’m so proud of you for being a healer now, you deserve this.” She is relieved her wife saw reason. Hope is peaceful and pure, she will be an amazing healer.

“Minty.” Lexa calls out. “Your answers have been interesting and unexpected. Your climbing skills are flawless. You know how to collect food. Your healing skills are better than the basics. You need to work on your fighting skills. I haven’t seen you training with the others. That will change. Go to your hut, get some rest. I expect you back here when the sun rises.”

Minty smiles shyly and leaves to go to her hut. The day she joined the conclave, she never thought she would get so far, and now she’s still in this competition. She wonders if Skye is proud.

“Blue.” Lexa calls out. “Your answers were good. Your answers prove that you would protect the children. In the conclave, I have noticed how you protect the youngest ones until you could not take any more. Your healing skills are good. You know how to collect food. Your climbing skills are good. Overall, you have done well so far. Go to your hut, get some rest. I expect you back here when the sun rises.”

“Skye and Lily.” Lexa gestures for her twins to stand up. “The answers you two gave are… unique. It is good to make it clear that nobody should seek trouble with us drifters. In the conclave you bought fought great. Together, you two are strong, powerful. You both have decent healing skills. You both know how to collect food and how to climb trees. Overall you both have done well. However, I want to make it clear that only one can win. You both keep ending up with a tie on the scoreboard. Go to your hut, get some rest. I expect you both back here when the sun rises.”

Skye and Lily take each other’s hand and run to their hut. Together they’re just so much better.

Kai stands up. He is the last one left now. He can tell from the look on Lexa’s face that she is not pleased.

Lexa’s nostrils flare up. She steadies herself before talking. “Kai, you are a great warrior. When you fight, you are fierce. You have done well in the conclave. You defeated Tris on your own. Your climbing skills are good. You know how to collect food. I am not pleased with the answers you have given during the small quiz. Killing is not an answer to everything. A good leader has to be balanced, not ruthless. It has crossed my mind to kick you out of the competition. However, I cannot ignore your skills. You will be given one last chance. Go to your hut, get some rest. I expect you back here when the sun rises. Do not make me regret this.”

Lexa hopes she is not making a mistake. For the next test, the six remaining children will be dropped on an island, to test their survival skills. She’s fairly sure that Kai and Emily will stick together and make sure they can provide food. Blue will probably look after his twin sisters. Skye will make sure Minty makes it out okay. It will only be for a week. What is the worst that can happen?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah the survivals skills test is coming up... what is the worst that can happen :)


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah the choices Lexa makes...

Lexa is standing on the beach with Clarke, Octavia, Aden, Anya and Raven. Her father and Jake are waiting on board of her father’s ship. She had briefly informed her father about the test, and together they talked about a small island where they will drop the six remaining children to test their survival skills. The few people who live on that island are not allowed to help the children. It should take them about three days to sail there.

Lexa looks at the children. “Good morning, children.” She smiles a little at them. “A small suitcase is packed with some clothes. My father is waiting on his ship to take you all away. You will be brought to a small island, where your survival skills will be tested. It should take three days for you all to get there. You will be there for a week. In two weeks from now, we will see you back here on our island.”

The children look surprised. They had no idea what to expect, but this wasn’t it. They have never gone anywhere without their parents.

Gustus and Jake wait for the children to get on board.

Minty didn’t have a chance to tell her fathers anything. She didn’t think she’d be leaving the island for two weeks. The last thing she told them was goodnight, when she went to her hut last night and they told her to sleep well.

Kai hugs his mothers, because his mothers are being emotional. “You’re both smothering me. I’ll be fine.”

Anya wipes her tears away. “It is tough to see you go without us.”

“I’ll be back in two weeks.”

Octavia takes her time to hug Emily. She believes her little angel will do well.

Clarke kneels down to hug Blue, Skye and Lily. She kisses their cheeks and ruffles their hair.

Lexa takes a moment to hug them as well.

When the children get on board of Gustus’ ship, Lexa wishes them good luck.

Lexa, Clarke, Octavia, Aden, Anya and Raven watch as the ship sails away. They go to the campfire to sit down and eat breakfast.

The other drifters are starting to wake up and join them for breakfast.

Monty has a concerned look on his face. “Where is Minty?”  He is pacing around and biting his lip.

“We couldn’t find her this morning when we got up.” Miller adds.

Lexa holds her hands up. “There is no need to worry. She is on my father’s ship. Minty and the five other remaining children are being taken to an island for a week to test their survival skills.”

Miller’s jaw drops. “Why didn’t you tell us about this? Minty is ten years old!”

“You should have told us.” Monty chimes in. “Minty is our daughter.”

“The children will be back in two weeks.” Lexa assures.

Lincoln stops eating his breakfast. “You’re telling me Emily is gone for two weeks?” He wishes they would have informed them. He knows Lexa and her elite team has been keeping the tests a secret. “You should have told me.”

Lexa is not going to argue with her people about this. The children will be back in two weeks and everything is going to be okay.

 

* * *

 

 

“It’s so cold today!” Raven is shivering. Her clothes are soaked from the rain. “It’s usually sunny, and today it’s so damn cold and then there’s this rain.”

Anya’s teeth are clattering together. “D-do yo-you t-t-think th-the chil-children a-are on th-that is-island y-yet?” She looks at Lexa.

Lexa is rubbing her arms, trying to fight the cold off. “No.” She shakes her head. “According to what our father said, they should arrive there tomorrow.”

“I hope it will be warmer tomorrow.” Raven comments.

Clarke is shivering heavily from the cold. They’re not acclimated to this. It is like the sky is angry, it’s all grey and it’s turning darker. The rain is pouring down fast.

Lexa looks around at her people. “All of you go inside your hut and put on the warmest clothes you have!” She commands.

“People are going to get sick.” Clarke whispers. She follows her wife to their hut to put on dry clothes.

Lexa picks up Summer and Clay who were playing with mud. “It is too cold for you both to sit here and play with mud.” She brings them inside their hut.

Clarke grabs some sweaters and pulls them over Summer’s and Clay’s head. She doesn’t want them to get sick.

They hear thunder outside. Summer and Clay jump up from the sound.

Summer hides between Clarke’s legs. “Mommy, I’m scared.”

Clarke kneels down and hugs her daughter. She strokes small circles on her back. “It’s okay. You’re safe. It’s just some thunder.”

Lexa takes Clay in her arms.

Clay buries his face in her hair. “I’m scared, mama.”

Raven bursts inside their hut. She sees Lexa glaring at her. Right, the privacy rule. “Uh yeah sorry about the privacy shit.”

“Raven, language!”

“Lexa, you should come with me for a moment.” Raven eyes the children and with her eyes she tries to tell Lexa she doesn’t want to talk in front of them.

Lexa nods and hands Clay over to her wife.

Clarke tries to soothe the twins.

Lexa follows Raven outside in the cold and the rain. “What is it, Raven?” She hisses.

Raven points at the sea. “The water is wild. There are big waves and all that shi-stuff.” She grasps Lexa’s arm. “If you come with me to my hut we can radio Gustus and Jake to hear if they’re okay cuz y’know they’re still out there.”

Alarm bells go off in Lexa’s mind. Raven is right. Her father and Jake are out there at sea, with six children. Three of those children are hers. She follows Raven to her hut.

Anya is pacing around inside the hut when Raven and Lexa enter.

Raven grabs her radio. She sets it on the right frequency and pushes the button to contact Gustus and Jake.

“Hello, Gustus and Jake? Are you there?” The radio crackles. “Please respond if you hear this. Hello?

The radio continues to crackle before a voice breaks through. It’s Gustus and he sounds like he’s spluttering from water or something.

_“Mayday, mayday, we are sinking. I repeat, mayday, my ship is going down.”_

 

* * *

 

 

Gustus and Jake are standing on the deck of Gustus’ ship.

Jake looks up at the sky and shakes his head. “The sky doesn’t look good today.”

“I suspect rain will be failing down soon.”

“I’ll go tell the children to put on warmer clothes.” Jake pauses for a second. “Do they have warmer clothes? They have one small suitcase with some clothes, but are there any warm clothes? I know they’re always wearing shirts and shorts, and anything that’s summer clothing.”

Gustus scratches his beard. “I doubt they have warmer clothes in that suitcase. I do have some sweaters in my cabin. They will be too big, but it will have to do.”

“I’ll go get them.”

Gustus feels raindrops falling down on his face. He looks up and more rain begins to pour down. He keeps an eye on the water at sea. It looks like it might get a bit rough.

Gustus makes his way to the bridge and grabs the helm to steer.

Jake joins Gustus and looks at the radar, which is bleeping. “What do you think, Gustus?”

Gustus look at the radar of his ship. “This does not look good. It is indicating that we are encountering a storm.”

“But we can get through that storm, right? I know that twenty-two years ago you lost your first ship to that one storm, but this ship is stronger and can get through that, right?” Jake’s voice sounds hopeful. This ship is stronger and wouldn’t be lost easily.

Gustus takes a deep breath. “There are a few rubber boats. We will have to prepare them.”

Jake tilts his head. “Tell me your ship can handle this.”

“I am not sure, Jake.”

“Gustus, we have six children on board. Your ship is stronger than your previous ship.”

Gustus nods. “My ship is stronger, but so is this storm.”

Jake looks confused. “What are you saying?”

“Compared to this storm, that storm twenty-two years ago was child’s play.”

Jake gulps. “I’ll go get the children.”

“Make sure they do not stay in their cabins. If my ship goes down, it is not safe for them in there. The cabins would be like a deathtrap.”

Jake hurries to get the children.

Kai, Emily, Blue, Skye, Lily and Minty are confused. They have never seen the water so wild.

Jake instructs them to hold on to the mast of Gustus’ ship, because there is quite a bit of wind. He knows they are getting soaked from the rain. He leaves them there while he prepares the small rubber boats.

The children see high waves approaching them. A few waves hit them and they splutter, trying not to swallow the water as it washes over them in waves. They feel the ship rock under their feet.

“I don’t think this is good.” Skye says, while trying to hold on. She’s holding Lily’s hand and Minty’s hand.

Minty looks panicked and scared.

Kai is being fearless as always. He wonders if this is a test. “Okay, listen up.” He looks at the other children. “Grab each other’s hand and don’t let go.”

The children make a chain with their hands. Kai is holding onto the mast with one hand, while holding Emily with his other hand. Emily is holding on to Lily. Lily is holding on to Skye. Skye is holding on to Minty. Minty is holding on to Blue.

Jake runs up to Gustus. “I prepared the small rubber boats.”

Gustus nods. “The storm is getting worse.”

The both hear the radio crackle and Raven’s voice is coming through it.

 _“Hello, Gustus and Jake? Are you there?”_ The radio crackles. _“Please respond if you hear this. Hello?_

Gustus grabs the radio. He is about to press the button to respond when Jake gasps loudly.

Jake points his finger towards the sea.

Gustus presses the button to answer. The water at sea devours his ship and he is spluttering from all the water.

 “Mayday, mayday, we are sinking. I repeat, mayday, my ship is going down.”

Jake grasps Gustus’ wrist. Together they’re splashing around in the water, around broken pieces of Gustus’ ship. The waves are rough and are not giving them a chance to look around for the children.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa sees the panic written all over Raven’s and Anya’s face. She doesn’t blame them. She is really worried. Her father’s ship went down and six children were on it. How is she going to share this news with her wife?

Anya is holding Raven in her arms, trying to console her. “It’s like the past is repeating itself. A storm caused us to get shipwrecked. Now our kids are shipwrecked thanks to a storm.”

Lexa feels bad for this. It’s all her fault. It’s her fault that six children have been out at sea. She should have never arranged that test. She should have kept them on her island and let them prove their survival skills here. She could have told her people not to help those six children for a week while they show their survival skills.

“I will inform Octavia, Lincoln, Monty, Miller and my wife.” Lexa whispers. “I am so sorry for this.”

Anya shakes her head. “This isn’t just on you. We were standing on the beach too when they got on board. We could have said or done something, but we didn’t.”

Lexa takes a deep breath and makes her way to Monty’s and Miller’s hut. She tells them the bad news.

Monty and Miller cry.

Lexa awkwardly hugs them in an attempt to offer them some comfort. After a while she realizes that it is pointless. She makes her way to Octavia’s and Lincoln’s hut.

“You’re telling us that Emily might have drowned?” Lincoln is shocked. Emily is his little angel. “First she is boarding that ship without my knowledge, now a storm destroyed it?”

Octavia clenches her jaw. Her daughter has to be okay. All those children have to be okay. They have to make it. Emily is her only child. She can’t lose her daughter.

Lincoln angrily walks away.

Octavia is fighting her tears. She wants to be a strong warrior.

Lexa carefully hugs Octavia, giving Octavia enough time to pull away if she wants to. She cups Octavia’s cheeks. “It is okay to cry. I know it hurts.”

Octavia takes a shuddering breath. “This must be so awful for you, Lexa. It does hurt, so much. Three of your kids were on board as well.” She allows her tears to escape freely.

Lexa wipes Octavia’s tears away with her thumbs. It is tough for her to keep her strong composure when she feels the pain for her three children, but also for the other three children, for her father and for Jake.

Octavia’s eyes connect with Lexa’s. “You can cry too, you know? You don’t have to hide your tears, not for me.”

Lexa places her forehead gently against Octavia’s and takes a deep breath. “I know.” She closes her eyes for a moment. “I have to go tell my wife about this.”

Octavia takes Lexa’s hand. “I can come with you if you’d like.”

Lexa nods. “Can you take Clay and Summer, while I talk to Clarke?”

Octavia sniffles and wipes her tears away. “Yeah, sure.”

Lexa enters her hut without a word. She takes Summer’s and Clay’s hand, and silently guides them outside where Octavia takes them.

Clarke looks at her wife. “Something is wrong I can see it in your eyes…” She tilts her head, questioningly.

Lexa wraps her arms around her wife and cries. “I am so sorry, Clarke.”

Clarke is worried. It’s not a good sign when her wife breaks down. “Please tell me what’s wrong, I want to help.”

“Raven tried to radio my father and your father.” Lexa takes a deep breath. “The contact did not last long. All we heard was my father replying that his ship was going down and that they were sinking.”

Clarke gasps. “The children… my father… your father.”

Lexa bites her lip and nods.

“Please tell me this is a nightmare and I’ll wake up soon and none of this will be real.” Clarke pinches her arm. It’s not a bad dream, it’s really happening.

“I will do anything I can to find them.”

 

* * *

 

 

Minty is struggling against the waves. She can swim, but nobody prepared her to swim when the water is so rough. She keeps being dragged down, until someone wraps an arm around her tiny posture and pulls her up so she can breathe.

Kai holds Minty close with one of his arms. “It is okay, Minty. I got you, breathe.”

Skye and Lily are flailing their arms around in the water while holding Blue’s hands.

Emily has Kai in a tight grasp with one of her hands. The water would have to rip her arm off before she’d let go.

They’re struggling in the water, trying not to choke on it.

“I see a rubber boat.” Blue tries to shout, but he sounds hoarse.

“We will try to reach it.” Kai decides.

The children swim against the waves, desperate to reach that rubber boat. They are exhausted.

Minty can’t take it anymore. She’s too fragile for this. She closes her eyes.

Kai feels Minty slipping from his arm. He looks at Emily. “Are you going to be okay? I need to hold Minty.”

“I’ll be fine.” Emily assures him.

Kai lets Emily go and holds Minty with both his arms. He thinks that Minty is probably unconscious.

Skye and Lily reach the rubber boat. They help to bring it to the other children.

Kai lifts Minty up and waits for the twins to take her.

Skye takes Minty in her arms and checks if she’s okay.

Lily sticks her arm out to hoist Emily into the rubber boat.

Emily helps Lily to get Blue and Kai on board too.

“The drifters are drifting.” Lily whispers.

“It’s not funny, Lily.” Emily whispers back.

Kai looks around. “Where are the oars?” He doesn’t see any. “How are we supposed to row without oars?”

“Where are our grandfathers?” Blue asks. “Well, not from all of us, but you know what I mean.”

“We’re moving away with the waves.” Skye notes.

Lily rubs her hands together. “It’s so cold.”

“It might help if we all cuddle.” Emily suggests. “To share our warmth.”

Skye strokes Minty’s hair and looks at her pale face. “What if she doesn’t wake up?”

“She will.” Blue replies. “I think she was just tired, but she will wake up.”

Kai roughly rubs his hands together until they feel warm. He takes one of Minty’s tiny hands in his. “I don’t understand why she is here with us. It doesn’t make sense that she’s in the top six. She’s just a little kid.”

Skye glares at Kai. “Minty is here because she deserves it. Yes, she is little, but she does have certain skills and she beat you at climbing that tree.”

Emily holds her hands up. “We are not here to fight. We should work together.”

“I agree with Emily.” Blue pitches in. “If we want to survive, it will be better to work together.”

Kai peers out into the water. “Keep your eyes open for signs of Gustus and Jake.”

 

* * *

 

 

The next day is warmer. The sun is up and it’s like the storm yesterday never happened, but it did.

Clarke and Lexa didn’t sleep much. Clarke spent half the night crying, while Lexa tried her best to dry her eyes and comfort her.

Lexa knows that her wife loves their children dearly. She loves them too. Losing three of their eight children is like a stab directly into their heart.

The drifters are silent while trying to eat breakfast.

Someone clears their throat behind them, breaking the silence.

“Roan?” Lexa looks at him. “What are you doing here?”

“We wanted to see how you were all doing.” Ontari explains. “Yesterday was rough.”

“Yes, and one more thing.” Roan adds. He snaps his fingers.

A few of his guards approach with makeshift stretchers.

“We found them on our way here.” Ontari says while she points at the stretchers.

Lexa stands up and approaches to have a look. “Father?” She looks at the other one. “Jake?”

Roan nods. “They were in the water, so we got them out.”

Clarke runs up to her father. “Dad!” She sees a gash on his forehead.

Lexa shifts her eyes between Roan and Ontari. “Thank you for bringing them here.” She takes a deep breath. “Have you seen any of the children? We’re missing six children.”

Roan is surprised. What did the drifters do to lose six children? “No, we did not see any children.”

“Were they with those two?” Ontari points at Gustus and Jake.

Lexa shamefully nods. “Six children were supposed to be brought to a certain island, to test their survival skills for a week. The storm yesterday made the ship go down.”

Roan turns around to look at his guards. “Search the sea, now!” He orders. He looks at Lexa. “I take it you don’t have a ship.”

Lexa shakes her head.

“Which children did you lose?”

“Skye, Lily, Blue, Emily, Kai and Minty.” Clarke replies.

Roan narrows his eyes. So the commander lost three of her own children. Aren’t they on a roll or what? He sees that his son is sitting next to Aqua who is crying, probably for her three siblings.

Ontari looks at Roan. She knows him.

“Do you have someone who knows how to sail?” Roan asks Lexa.

Lexa nods. “Lincoln knows.”

“Good, because I think those two.” Roan points at the stretches. “Well, they’re wounded, so I don’t think they’ll be able to for a while.”

“You’re lucky we found them.” Ontari adds. “If we didn’t, they probably would have been dead by now.”

Roan holds his hand up to shush her. “Lexa, I will let your people borrow one of my ships.”

“What do you want in return for this?” Lexa knows that everything comes at a price.

Roan looks at his son who is hugging Aqua. He smiles warmly. “Nothing. I want nothing for it.” He knows that if he can make Aqua happy, it will make his son happy. Finding Aqua’s siblings can help with that.

Lexa follows Roan’s gaze. She sees Aqua in Hunter’s arms. She understands.

Clarke is checking up on her father, while Hope and Rosie are checking up on Gustus.

“We think Gustus has a broken leg.” Hope concludes after whispering with her girlfriend.

Clarke sighs. “I think my dad has a concussion.”

Echo and Maya help to carry the stretchers to their healing hut.

 

* * *

 

 

“What if our parents did this on purpose?” Kai wonders out loud. “What if the whole talk about a survival skills test was fake and they’re actually banishing us?”

Blue cocks his head. “Why would they do that?”

“Think about it for a moment. Aside from Emily, we are all adopted. We could be expandable for them.”

“If that’s true, then why is Emily here with us?” Lily asks.

Kai crosses his arms. “It could be because aside from Minty, we all fought brutally in that conclave.”

“My parents would not give me up like that.” Emily shakes her head. “They always tell me I’m their little angel.”

“Perhaps, but really think about it.” Kai has a serious tone in his voice. “The commander pulled Hope out of the competition the night before we had to go for that new test. She said Hope is peaceful and things like that. Maybe they wanted us gone because we’re too brutal or something.”

Skye puts a strand of Minty’s hair behind her ear. “Why would they send Minty away then? She’s not brutal at all.”

Kai shrugs. “Like I said, adopted and probably expandable. Perhaps her fathers didn’t want her anymore.”

“You’re wrong, Kai.” Blue argues. “There is no way our parents would do that us. It’s awful if you would even think for a second that it could be true. It’s not like they planned a storm.”

“Who says they didn’t know about the storm?” Kai bites back.

Emily holds her hands up. “Enough, boys. We’re not going to fight about this.”

“We have to watch out!” Lily shouts. She points a little bit in the distance. “We’re about to hit some rocks!”

Kai looks and mutters to himself. “We don’t have oars to row. We’re heading directly towards those rocks.” He’s thinking about their options.

“There are small openings between them.” Emily notices. “We could uh, I don’t know, go between them?”

“I agree, but we can’t go between them with this rubber boat.” Kai says. “It won’t fit, we’ll have to get into the water and swim.”

“We don’t even know what’s behind those rocks.” Blue points out.

“We don’t have much choice now do we?” Kai snaps back.

Skye shakes Minty a little to wake her up. “Come on, Minty, wake up. We have to swim.”

Minty stirs a bit and looks at Skye. She’s shivering from the cold.

Their clothes have dried for the most part. Not that it matters now that they’ll have to go in the water again.

All night long strong waves rapidly carried them away. Now it’s a sunny day and they have no idea where the hell they are. They’re never seen rocks like that in the water before.

Kai jumps in the water first. The others jump in after him.

“Hold on to me, Minty.” Skye whispers.

Minty wraps her arms around Skye’s neck. She’s still tired.

They close in on the rocks and carefully slip between them. It’s small, but they can fit between the rocks. Behind the rocks there’s more water and in the distance there is something, it looks like an island.

Kai points at it. “We will swim up there.”

Lily grumbles. “That looks like a long swim to make.”

“Come on, Lily.” Skye tries to encourage her twin. “It’s not like we can stay here.”

Together they swim towards the island. It looks a lot bigger than the island where the drifters live. When they get onto the beach, they don’t see any signs of life.

“We should explore.” Kai whispers. “It looks deserted, but it might not be.” He looks at the others. “Maybe we should split up, two of you with Emily and two of you with me, because Emily and I are warriors.”

“No way.” Skye protests. “I’m staying with my sister and with Minty.”

“I’m staying with my sisters.” Blue insists.

“We should all explore together.” Emily says. “We don’t know this island and we don’t know what we might find. We should stick together.”

“Okay fine.” Kai caves in. “We’ll stay together.” He grabs his dagger from his waistband. “Anyone else got any weapons?”

Skye and Lily pull their daggers out too. Of course they’re armed. They learned that from their mothers.

Emily takes two daggers out of her waistband.

Blue lifts his sweater up and retrieves his dagger.

Minty looks at them and shakes her head. She doesn’t have any weapons on her.

Emily hands one of her daggers to Minty. “Here take this.” She notices how Minty hesitates to take it. “You do know how to use that, right?”

“More or less.”

Emily sighs. “Okay, let’s go explore this island.”

Lily looks around. “This island looks really huge. Are our parents going to find us? It looks kind of well-hidden with those rocks.”

“I wonder if our grandfathers made it.” Blue says. “They’re not with us, so I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”

Minty notices bushes with berries. They’re not red, blue or black like the ones at home. These are white. She takes a few. Right as she’s about to eat them, Kai slaps her hand, making her drop the berries.

“Hey, don’t do that!” Skye warns Kai. “Don’t touch her!”

“She shouldn’t eat those.” Kai replies. “We don’t know if they’re edible.”

Minty looks down at the sand. “I’m hungry.”

“The trees on this island look different.” Emily notes. “They’re taller.”

“I’ll climb one so I can get a better view of this island.” Kai whispers. “Wait down here.”

“I could climb it.” Minty offers. “I’m faster.”

Kai shakes his head. “I know that, but these trees are a lot taller than the ones at home and I’m the oldest.”

Kai puts his blade in his mouth and climbs up the tree. It’s really tall. It should give him a good view. He feels like he selected one of the tallest trees to climb. It takes him a while to get all to the top. He’s exhausted, but he has to push through that. When he finally reaches the top, he looks around. This island is huge, really huge. He sees a waterfall in the distance, to his left. When he looks to his right in the far distance his blood freezes.

They’re not alone on this island. It’s not deserted. He sees people around a big campfire. It looks like they’re dancing. It looks like they’re clad with leaves or something. They’re not wearing regular clothes. There are a few people who seem to be wearing something else. What makes his blood freeze is that those people who wear leaves or whatever it is are beheading those other people, while the rest of them dance. After beheading them, they roll their heads down what looks like some sort of throne up a small hill. It looks like a sacrifice ritual or something. They’re definitely not alone. Whatever they do, they cannot go to the right and they cannot walk into those people.

Kai is here with five other children, and he doubts that Minty can fight. He shimmies down the tree.

“What did you see?” Emily asks.

Kai takes a deep breath. He holds his dagger out and points it at the other children. “We can never go to the right, is that clear?” His voice is strong and warning.

Emily grasps his wrist. “Kai, you saw something. What is it?”

Kai can see the children’s eyes are all on him.

“We are not alone on this island. I saw death.”

Kai makes a cut in the palm of his hand with his dagger. “I vow to protect you all with my life.” He points to the left. “There is a waterfall in the distance. We will go in that direction.”

Emily takes her dagger and makes a cut in her own hand. “I vow to protect you all with my life as well. I’m a warrior.”

Skye and Lily make a cut in their hand and hold their hands out. “Together.”

Blue cuts his hand and holds it out too. “Together.”

Minty shakily makes a small cut in her hand and holds it out.

Kai looks at them. “Do you all accept to listen to me or do we have to argue about this?”

Emily tilts her head. “If I can lead with you, I won’t mind.” She gives Kai a quick kiss.

“It is settled. Emily and I will lead. We are going to the left.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Six children on a huge island where they are not alone...


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is more on the strange island than people...

Lexa is pacing back and forth on the beach. She is worried about the children. That storm was not supposed to happen. They were not supposed to get shipwrecked. What if they will never see them again? What if they’re lost forever? The weather was supposed to be good, but it has been proven in the past already that the weather can be unpredictable. Nobody expected such a heavy storm to happen.

“Lexa, can you stop doing that.” Clarke whispers. It makes her nervous when her wife paces around like that. “I want to go out there to search for the children.” She knows Lexa doesn’t want her to go search for the children.

Lexa shakes her head. “We cannot both go out there. One of us has to stay with the rest of our children, Clarke.” They can’t both leave the rest of their children.

“Okay then, I’ll go and you stay here.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea, Clarke.”

Clarke sighs deeply. “Lexa, you are the commander, you should stay here with the rest of our people.”

“And you are my equal. You are also one of the healers. Both our fathers are hurt.”

“How about you both shut the fuck up.” Raven groans. She sees Lexa opening her mouth to say something. “Don’t give me the language shit. Six kids are gone. We need to look for them, okay so y’all listen up.” She knows it’s not her place to talk like that, but right now that doesn’t matter.

“I agree with my wife.” Anya adds.

Anya knows Raven could have said it a bit nicer, but she’s right. Clarke and Lexa do need to shut up. Now is not the time to argue about things. The children are out there and they need to look for them. If nobody would interrupt Clarke and Lexa, they would continue to argue. They can both be really stubborn. She knows neither of them would give in, because they both obviously want to go search for the children.

Raven claps her hands. “Okay so, Monty and Miller will be going with us because of Minty. Lincoln obviously too because he needs to sail that damn ship. Octavia will be going too. And for all I care, Clarke and Lexa can both come, no pun intended.”

Lexa crosses her arms. “I am the commander.” She doesn’t take orders from others.

“Oh shut up, Lexa.” Raven snaps back. “Six kids are lost. We need to go look for them. We’re wasting time arguing. If you keep arguing with Clarke about whom of you two will go we’ll leave without you two. Don’t even test me right now.” She’s stepping out of line but that’s the least of her concerns right now. Her son is missing along with five other children.

“Raven has a point.” Clarke whispers. “We are wasting time.”

Lexa grumbles. “Fine. I am going.”

“I’m going too.” Clarke says determined. She’s not going to let her wife talk her out of this.

“Aight so who are you leaving in charge?” Raven asks. She looks around. “Aden perhaps? Come on, we ain’t got all day for this.” She wants to speed this up.

Lexa nods. “Aden will be left in charge in my absence.” She turns around to look at Aqua. “Look after your siblings.”

“Yes, mother.” Aqua holds Summer’s and Clay’s hand.

Summer and Clay cry because their mothers will be leaving.

Clarke and Lexa hug them and wipe their tears away.

“We will be back.” Lexa promises. “We will always come back.”

Aqua picks Summer up in her arms and tenderly strokes her back. She’s the oldest it is her responsibility to look after her younger siblings. She wonders what would have happened if she wouldn’t have stepped out of the competition. Would she have been able to make that top six so perhaps one of the six lost children would be here right now? She hopes they are together. If Blue is with them, he will look after Skye and Lily, not that the twins really need a babysitter.

River kneels down next to Clay to pick him up. He wants to be a strong big brother for his little brother.

Lincoln, Octavia, Monty, Miller, Raven, Anya, Clarke and Lexa board the ship that Roan is letting them borrow.

Through the radio on it, they can stay in touch with the drifters.

Atom is staying behind on their island and he will use Raven’s radio for when they try to contact them.

That radio will also allow them to stay in contact with Roan, who is searching the sea as well. They will be sailing out around the area where the ship presumably drowned.

Lexa knows which island the children were supposed to go to. Perhaps they’re somewhere nearby that island or somewhere else, or in a rubber boat or something.

 

* * *

 

 

Skye and Lily point their finger up to some trees. “There are bananas up there, and we’re all hungry.”

Kai nods. “I’ll climb up there to get some.” He makes his way up the tree.

Emily waits with the others while Kai is getting some bananas. “I can hear the water from that waterfall Kai talked about. I think we’re getting close.” She can hear it in the distance.

“Shh.” Blue holds a finger to his lips. “I hear something else.”

The children listen and they hear some low growls.

Skye and Lily quickly grab their daggers.

The growling noise is getting closer.

Skye and Lily point their blade out to some bushes nearby.

Lily makes her way to the bush to look between it. She looks at her sister and waits for her to nod.

Skye positions herself, ready to attack whatever is behind those bushes. It sounds like an animal.

Lily quickly makes her way through the bushes, followed by her twin.

It’s a small animal. The moment they look at it, it rolls around over its back. The animal looks clumsy.

“Awe it’s a cat!” Skye smiles at the animal. “It’s so cute, look how he’s stumbling.”

Emily steps closer to look. “That is not a cat, not really. It’s a cub, from a lion.” She has read enough books to recognize the animal for what it is.

Kai shows up behind them. “What are you all doing?” He drops the bananas he had been holding. “If we kill it, we can eat it.”

Skye and Lily both cross their arms and stand in front of the cub.

“Get out of my way!” Kai shouts.

Skye shakes her head. “No way, that cub is ours now.” She is going to keep him.

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Kai hisses. “Where there is a cub… his mother has to be somewhere.”

Lily picks up the cub. “He’s so cuddly.” She laughs when she puts one of her fingers in the cub’s mouth and the cub gnaws her finger with his tiny teeth. “He’s just an innocent baby.”

Kai groans. “Of course I have to be stuck on this strange huge island with the twins.”

“Oh hush, Kai.” Skye whispers. “You love us. We’re your favorite cousins.”

“Okay fine, you can keep the cub, but be careful.” Kai warns them. “If his mother shows up and devours you both, it will be on you.” He knows it won’t be pretty if the bigger lion is still around.

Emily laughs and walks over to the cub to pet him. “We should name him.”

Kai looks at Emily. If his girlfriend likes that cub, then they can definitely keep it. Hell, he’d even go look for another if Emily would want one.

“Oh yes, I agree!” Skye smiles brightly. She looks over Emily’s shoulder to look at Kai. “I like her cous, I’m happy that she’s with you.”

Kai pulls Emily in his arms and kisses her. “I’m happy that she’s with me too.” His voice is the softest when he’s referring to his girlfriend.

“No offense Kai, but I thought that you weren’t capable of having emotions at all.” Blue says while shrugging. “I’ve never seen you being affectionate with anyone before.”

“There’s always more than what meets the eye.” Emily whispers. “Kai is an amazing warrior, and there’s a lot more I like about him.”

Minty peels one of the bananas to eat it.

On their way to the waterfall, Skye and Lily take turns to carry the cub, while talking about what they will name him.

Kai grins when he sees the waterfall. He points his dagger at some rocks. “I think there might be a cave behind the water.” He steps into the water. “It’s not so deep.”

The children follow Kai in the water.

Skye and Lily look ridiculous, trying to hold the cub above their heads.

Kai was right, there is a cave. If he jumps up, he can touch the entrance with the tip of his fingers. “If someone can give me a little push, I can check it out. If it’s safe, I’ll pull you all up.”

“Why don’t you give me a push?” Emily suggests. “I’ll check it out.”

Kai gives Emily a push so she can reach the cave and crawl in. He knows that arguing about it wouldn’t help.

Emily peers into the cave. It’s empty. “It’s good, we can use it.” She lies down on her stomach and stretches her hands out. “Hand me Minty first.”

Kai picks Minty up and effortlessly lifts her above his head.

Emily grasps her wrists and pulls her up in the cave.

Skye and Lily look at their cub.

“Okay, we will throw him.” Skye says. “You better catch him.”

Skye throws the cub in the air and is relieved when Emily catches him.

Kai gives Skye, Lily and Blue a push to get in the cave. He walks around near the water for a while, to collect sticks. He throws the sticks up for the others to catch, so they can build a fire.

Emily stretches her arms out as far as she can for Kai, while the twins hold on to her legs so she won’t accidentally fall out.

Kai is able to grasp Emily’s hands. With some effort, he manages to get in the cave.

The twins make a fire and they are all able to warm up.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa doesn’t see Octavia next to Lincoln, while Lincoln is sailing. She had tried to talk to Lincoln, but he wasn’t being responsive. She searches through the cabins to look for Octavia and finds her in the third cabin.

“May I come in?” Lexa politely asks.

Octavia wipes some tears from her cheeks. “Yeah, sure, come in.”

Lexa silently sits down on the bed in the cabin, next to Octavia. She holds her hand out for Octavia, giving Octavia a choice if she wants the comfort or not.

Octavia slips her hand into Lexa’s and squeezes softly. She appreciates Lexa’s silent company. She knows Lexa wouldn’t force her to talk about anything. Lexa is calm and she can be really understanding. She’s in this cabin because she needed to get away for a bit. Her husband isn’t happy with her. She can’t blame Lincoln for the way he has been reacting. She knows he partially blames her for what happened. She was there when the children were boarding Gustus’ ship. She was there to see their daughter leave, and she didn’t tell her husband.

The tests have always been a secret until the very last moment. She should have told Lincoln. She should have given him a chance to hug Emily, at the very least. She hopes they will find the children soon, and hopefully they will be unharmed. It would break her heart if something bad would happen to them. Thank god they can swim, but that doesn’t mean they’re okay. Jake and Gustus are both wounded, quite badly. What if the children are wounded too? She wonders if Lincoln would have disagreed with the children boarding Gustus’ ship for that test.

Lexa rubs her thumb across Octavia’s hand. It’s not the first time she’s trying to offer Octavia some comfort. Her closest connection is with Clarke, obviously, because Clarke is her wife. She also has a close connection with Octavia, Anya, Aden and even Raven. Their connection stretches over many years. Octavia has been in her life for twenty-two years now.

Octavia chokes back a sob. She feels one of Lexa’s hands carefully coming up to her face, just in time to wipe away a tear that escaped from her eye.

“Lincoln is…” Octavia tries to steady her voice. “He’s upset. I should have told him Emily would be sailing out.”

“It is not your fault, Octavia. You did not tell him because you were not supposed to.”

“It’s still my fault. I should have told him something, so he could at least hug her.”

“He will be able to hug Emily again, and so will you.”

Octavia shakes her head. “I don’t know, Lexa, I really don’t know.”

Lexa notices more tears roll down Octavia’s cheeks.

Octavia wraps her arms around Lexa and cries on her shoulder. She knows she is allowed to hug Lexa now. When Lexa is offering her comfort like this, she can hug Lexa.

Lexa pats Octavia’s shoulder and lets her cry. She knows this is difficult and painful.

Raven walks in the cabin and sees Octavia sobbing in Lexa’s arms. She sits down next to them and wraps her arms around Octavia, thus capturing Octavia between her and Lexa.

Lexa’s forest green eyes connect with Raven’s deep brown eyes. They both know how upset Octavia is.

Lexa didn’t know she was crying too, until Raven’s thumb wipes her tears away.

Clarke and Anya walk in the cabin as well. They look at each other and shrug, before joining their hug.

Monty and Miller appear at the door of the cabin. They see Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Anya and Octavia hugging while crying.

Raven waves her hand at them, signaling for them to join.

Monty and Miller join their hug and let their tears flow.

Lexa is the first to stand up again to go back to the deck, so she can look out over the water for any signs of the children. She knows that soon, they will be searching islands.

 

* * *

 

 

Kai grabs a stick and his dagger. He uses the blade of his dagger to turn the stick into a spear.

Emily sits down next to Kai. “What are you going to do with that?”

“I will use it for those strangers on this island.” Kai replies evenly. “I saw them beheading people, I assume they are not friendly.”

Emily nods. “Strangers are considered a threat.” She grabs her own dagger and a stick to make a spear too.

Skye is sitting next to Lily with Minty on her lap. She’s kissing Minty’s cheek, while stealing glances of the cub in Lily’s lap.

Kai moves towards the edge of the cave. “I will go to look for more food. When I’m back, I’ll give a sign.”

“Wait, I’ll go with you.” Blue says. He feels like none of them should wander around alone.

“I’ll stay here with Skye, Lily and Minty.” Emily whispers. “When you two are back I’ll pull you both up.”

Kai jumps out of the cave with Blue. Together they look around near the waterfall, to look for food.

“Be still.” Kai commands. He holds Blue to make him stop moving. He points his spear at a few bunnies.

Blue nods in understanding.

Kai is glad the twins aren’t with them, or they had probably wanted to keep those bunnies too, like they wanted to keep the cub, but they have to eat. Survival is important. They can’t keep every animal as a pet. He aims his spear and hits one of the bunnies.

Blue aims his dagger and manages to hit a bunny.

Kai grasps the bunnies by their ears. He points up a tree with coconuts. “You go up there to cut them loose, I’ll catch them.”

Blue puts his dagger in his mouth and climbs up the tree. When he reaches the coconuts, he cuts a few loose, dropping them carefully one by one. He hopes they don’t land roughly on Kai’s head. His connection with Kai isn’t great, but Kai is his cousin. He has no ill feelings towards Kai. When he is done cutting three coconuts loose, he shimmies back down the tree.

Kai holds the bunnies with one hand by their ears, and a coconut in his other hand.

Blue picks up two coconuts.

Together they walk back to waterfall and to the cave.

Kai whistles to signal that they are back.

Emily looks down at them.

“Ready?” Kai asks. When Emily nods he adds. “Catch.” He tosses the coconuts at her, one by one and finally the bunnies too.

Kai gives Blue a push to get back up in the cave.

When Blue is in the cave, he helps Emily to pull Kai up.

Their cave is a good place to use as shelter. It’s behind the waterfall and it is high enough to make the entrance difficult if you don’t have anyone to help you up.

Minty looks at the bunnies with sad eyes.

“We found them like this.” Blue quickly lies. “So we took them with us so we can eat.”

Emily takes the spear she made. “We can use this to hold them above our fire.” She knows Blue is lying.

Kai helps Emily to prepare the bunnies. He sees Minty scrunching up her nose.

The twins don’t react to it. They sit in silence and play with their cub.

Kai knows it would be pointless to take the cub away from them. If he tries, he’d have the twins against him, probably Minty and Blue as well. He sees that Emily likes the cub too.

Emily takes her dagger and tries to break through the coconuts so they can drink. She holds the first one out to Minty. “Here, you can share with Skye.” She breaks through the second one and hands it to Blue. “You can share with Lily.” She takes the last one for Kai and herself.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke joins her wife on the deck of Roan’s ship.

Lexa points at the water. “There are some pieces from my father’s ship floating around. I assume we are getting closer to the place where his ship went down.”

“I hope we’ll find the children soon. We don’t know if they made it to a rubber boat or how far the waves carried them away.” Clarke doesn’t like the way it all went. “I think they weren’t even wearing life vests. What if they ended up in the water and drowned?”

Lexa takes her wife’s hand. “The children can swim and they are strong.”

“I know that, but even when you are strong and when you can swim, there is only so far you can go until you’re completely exhausted.”

“I am sorry about all of this, Clarke.” Lexa kisses her wife’s cheek. “I wish there was a way for me to undo this.”

“I’m sorry I don’t mean to sound like I’m blaming you.” Clarke looks at her wife and sees the pain and concern in her eyes. “I know you’re hurt and worried. Just because you’re the commander doesn’t mean this is on you.”

“The test has been my idea.” Lexa feels like it is mostly her fault. “If it was not for my idea, they would not have left our island.”

“Hey lovebirds.” Raven greets them. “Any sign of anything yet?”

Lexa shakes her head. “Only some pieces of my father’s ship.”

“Yeah, probably carried here with by the waves or something.” Clarke adds.

“Look, it’s getting late. How about you both get some rest?” Raven suggests. “You’re both tired, I can tell. Anya and I can take over for a while. We could take turns, you know?”

“I agree that we should take turns.” Anya pitches in. “None of us can stay up at all times.”

 

* * *

 

 

Hope is looking after Jake and Gustus, who are slowly starting to open their eyes. She can see them both grimace from the pain.

Jake is trying to mumble something. He squeezes his eyes. His head is hurting a lot it feels like a hammer hit him. When he was in the water at sea, the waves were crashing against him and something hit his head hard.

“Shh grandfather Jake.” Hope whispers, not wanting to make his head hurt worse. “You have a light concussion. You need to rest.”

Jake wants to say something. There is a metallic taste of blood in his mouth. He closes his eyes and fall asleep.

Gustus tries to move, but his leg is not allowing him to. The slightest movement with his leg hurts. Something in the water hit his leg hard. He doesn’t need one of the healers to know that his leg is broken.

“The children.” Gustus mumbles.

Hope holds a finger to her lips to signal him to be silent. “They are looking for the children. Everything will be okay.” She keeps her voice low. “You need to rest grandfather.”

Echo walks in the hut with some extra blankets for Jake and Gustus. Ophelia walks in behind her with a bowl of water.

Hope takes the bowl. She holds her grandfather Gustus’ head up with one hand and helps him to drink some water.

“There are some painkillers in the water.” Echo whispers. “It should be enough to take the edge off.”

They all have Abby to thank for having medicines like that. That woman would bring half a pharmacy with her each time she visited, always making sure they would have enough medical supplies.

 

* * *

 

 

It’s dark. The children are sitting in the cave, warm and cozy around the fire they have built.

Minty is sleeping with an equally sleeping cub in her arms.

Skye is smiling at her sleeping girlfriend. With one hand she gently caresses Minty’s cheek. She wonders how it is possible that she ended up here with Minty. If someone would have told her before the conclave that she would eventually end up on a huge strange island with the rest of the top six, and that her girlfriend is in that top six, she would have told them not to be ridiculous. Yet, here she is.

Does Minty deserve to be in the top six? Yes and no. Her girlfriend does have some skills, but she can’t exactly fight. She doesn’t think Minty can be the commander. Or at least she can’t picture that right now because Minty is only ten years old, she’s tiny and fragile. Perhaps when Minty is older and trains her fighting skills, she would be suitable to lead.

“We should keep watch.” Emily suggests. “I’ll take the first watch.”

Kai nods. “I’ll keep the first watch with you.”

“My sister and I will take the second watch.” Lily offers.

“I can take the last watch.” Blue adds.

Kai looks at Minty. “What about that little one?”

Emily shakes her head. “Let her sleep. There are enough of us to keep watch. She’s just a little kid.” She doesn’t want to wake Minty up.

Skye, Lily and Blue try to get some sleep while Kai and Emily keep the first watch.

Kai and Emily sit close together. They listen to the sound of the waterfall.

Emily cups Kai’s cheeks and kisses him. She’s happy that they are together. It’s a relief that their parents weren’t being too difficult about it. She’s always been close with Kai. They have always been best friends, until suddenly they were more than that. It is ironic how beating each other up in the conclave made their connection stronger than friendship.

After a while, they nudge the twins so they can take over.

The twins rub their eyes and scoot over to the edge of the cave to keep watch. They are talking to each other with hushed voices, careful not to wake the others. They both know that as thirteen year olds, they are still seen as children, but skill wise they can match up to the adults. They both agree that Minty shouldn’t even be here with them. It is not smart that she has been sent with them while her fighting skills are very poor.

When their eyes are drooping, they wake Blue to take the last watch.

Blue waits for them all to wake up when the sun is up.

Kai moves closer to the edge of the cave. “We have to go collect more food.”

Emily nods. “We should all go then we can carry more.”

Kai jumps out of the cave first. When he is down, he holds his arms out for Minty.

Emily lowers Minty until Kai can grab her.

They don’t want Minty to jump down from the cave. Minty is little and fragile, they’re worried she’d break something.

Once they are all down, Kai allows Minty to hop on his back, because the water is slightly too deep for her. Of course Minty can swim, but she doesn’t need to swim if Kai can carry her.

When they are out of the river, Skye and Lily put their cub down for a moment, to let it walk around a bit.

The children hear a loud roar. They quickly reach for their daggers.

Kai holds a spear in his hand. He doesn’t flinch when a tiger appears in front of them. He will not be intimidated.

The cub cries because it is probably scared.

Lily quickly picks the cub up in her arms.

Skye steps protectively in front of her twin with her dagger in her hand.

Kai puts Minty down and pushes her in Blue’s arms.

The tiger roars louder at them.

Kai roars back at the tiger and bares his teeth. He jumps the tiger before the tiger can jump any of them.

When the tiger bites Kai’s arm, Kai reaches out for the tiger’s neck and bites down hard.

Emily jumps the tiger to help Kai. Together they roll around with the tiger.

A second tiger appears, and it looks really angry.

Blue pushes Minty towards the twins and grabs his dagger to attack the tiger.

The tiger jumps Blue and bites his shoulder. Blue tries to kick the tiger off of him.

The tiger moves his attention to the cub in Lily’s arms.

The twins look at the tiger who is approaching them, while Blue is down on the sand, trying to get up. Kai and Emily are still rolling around with the first tiger.

“Protect the cub.” Skye whispers to her twin. “I’ll get the tiger.”

Before Skye can move, Minty runs up the tiger with her dagger.

“Minty, no!” Skye shouts.

The tiger jumps Minty.

Skye runs up to her girlfriend. She hears muffled noises.

“He’s so heavy.” Minty mumbles.

Blue scrambles up to his feet. He helps Skye to move the tiger.

Minty killed the tiger. Her dagger is pierced through the tiger.

They look at the other tiger and see Kai and Emily killed him.

This island is definitely strange and a lot different than their home.

Kai swings one of the dead tigers over his shoulders. This will provide them with plenty of food for a while. “Blue, could you get the other one?” He nods his head towards the other dead tiger.

Blue tries to swing it over his shoulders, but his shoulder is still hurt from that bite.

Emily pushes Blue. “I’ll get it.” She swings the tiger over her shoulders.

Blue walks behind Emily, to help support the weight of the tiger.

When they reach the cave, Kai gives Blue, Minty and the twins a push to get up.

Kai and Emily lift the tigers up, until the other children can pull them up.

When the dead tigers are in the cave, Kai gives Emily a push to get up.

When Emily is up, she holds her arms out for Kai so he can get up too.

Kai suggests they can use the tiger’s furs for when they sleep, for when it is a bit colder.

“We will be able to share all the adventures we had with our parents.” Emily says with a smile. “Wait until they hear that we fought with tigers, it’s so cool.”

Blue laughs. “Oh yes, they’ll be thrilled to hear that.”

“This is a better survival skills test than the one they had planned.” Kai says with a serious tone. “I’m going to make some more spears. My plan is to attack those strangers I saw on the right side of this island. You can come with me or not, I don’t care, but I’m going to go end them soon.”

Emily grabs a stick to carve a spear. “I’m definitely going with you.”

“I’ll be going too.” Blue chimes in.

“We’re in this together.” Skye says. “We will all be going.”

Kai looks at the twins. “Let me guess, when you say all you mean the six of us and that cub.”

“Of course, the cub is our baby.”

Kai rolls his eyes. “That cub is not your baby.”

“Yes, it is.”

“Babies have names.” Kai retorts. “That cub doesn’t have a name.

Skye and Lily look at the cub while it is rolling around all cutesy.

“We will give him a name.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awe they will name their cub. I've always wanted to give them a little lion as a pet, so here it is.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The children decide to go attack the strangers on the island. That doesn't turn out to be a good choice...

Lincoln anchors Roan’s ship close to an island. It’s the one where the children were supposed to be brought to. It’s the first island they will be scanning to look for the children.

Lexa looks at Monty and Miller. “You two, stay close.” She doesn’t want any of them to get in trouble.

Clarke intertwines her fingers with her wife’s fingers. She lets out an inaudible breath as Lexa leans in to her and captures her lips in a slow, warm and gentle kiss. “What was that for?” She smiles against her wife’s soft, tender lips.

“That kiss was to tell you that I love you, Clarke.”

“Mhm really?” Clarke lets her tongue dart out, and traces her wife’s bottom lip, until the others clear their throats. “I love you too, Lexa.” She chuckles at the way the others avert their eyes from them.

“You two are so gross.” Raven groans. “Make out when we’re back on the ship. You can lock yourselves up in one of the cabins. Then you can have all the gay sex you’d like.”

Clarke winks at Raven. “Are you offering?” A playful smile appears on her face.

Raven smirks. “You wish, Clarke.” Her gaze lands on Octavia. “I think I’d know who I’d invite to a threesome.” Soft laughter bubbles up from her chest. “Ow, Anya.”

“You deserved that punch.” Anya grasps her wife’s arm. “Let’s go, we need to search this island.”

“If I’m ever in the mood for some of that, I’ll know where to go.” Octavia comments backtracking Raven’s comment. She looks at her husband and stifles a laugh when she sees the look on Lincoln’s face.

Clarke sighs while she walks around with her wife. “It’s only been like two days and this is awful. I wonder what our parents must have felt when they were searching for us for eight years. That must have been really horrible. What if we don’t find the children after a few years and a few more? Or what if we never find them at all?”

“We will find them, Clarke. I am sure of it. The children are strong, they are drifters. They will survive.”

“Our fathers were searching for us for eight years when Lincoln finally found us. All the time they were searching for us, we thought they had drowned.”

Lexa nods. “What matters is that they never gave up on searching for us. We will not give up on searching for the children either. This time things are different. The children have more skills than we once started out with when we got shipwrecked. The children know we are alive.”

Clarke sighs deeply. “We should have been on that ship with them. Then we would know where they are. They do have skills, but they’re still children. I know Kai is tough, but he is sixteen. He is on the verge of being a man, but he is still a child at the same time. Blue is fifteen. I know he cares about the others and he will look after them, but he shouldn’t have to carry such a burden. Skye, Lily and Emily are thirteen. They act tough and they fight well, but they’re children. They have been growing up too fast. Minty is only ten years old, she’s really fragile. We should have never sent Minty along with them.”

“Hey.” Anya slings one arms over Clarke’s shoulder. “I was fourteen when we got shipwrecked all those years ago. Raven was eleven. Lexa was ten, you were ten as well and Octavia was eight. We all made it, we survived and we still are surviving. Our children will survive too.”

“You’re probably right.” Clarke admits.

Clarke, Lexa, Raven, Anya, Octavia, Lincoln, Monty and Miller search the island. They talk with the locals, but unfortunately the children aren’t there. It doesn’t think long for realization to sink in that the children never made it to this island. The waves must have brought them elsewhere.

They go back on board of Roan’s ship and they radio Atom to let the rest of their people know that they are still searching for the children. They also take a moment to radio Roan, who is sailing around on another one of his ships to look for the children.

Roan informs them that he has found oars in the water, which must have belonged to the rubber boats. That information doesn’t help. That means that even if they made it to a rubber boat, they don’t have oars to row with.

 

* * *

 

 

Kai wraps one of the furs around Minty. “You deserve this fur, you made the kill.”

Minty smiles up at him. “It is warm. It’ll be nice to sleep with this.” She looks at her girlfriend. “I’ll share it with you.”

Skye gives Minty a tender kiss. “That’s sweet of you, Minty.” She runs one of her hands over the fur. “It feels soft and warm.”

“Do you think our parents really banished out?” Minty wonders out loud. “Are we really expandable because we are adopted, aside from Emily?”

Kai shakes his head. “No, our parents wouldn’t banish us. They love us so much it is sickening.”

Minty looks puzzled. “But you said…”

Kai looks at his feet, a bit ashamed. “I know what I said, but I only said those things because I was angry and frustrated about what happened. It’s not that I want to question our commander, but it seemed like a dumb plan that they were going to ditch us on some random island for a survival skills test. I feel like there could have been better ways.”

Emily hums in agreement. “They couldn’t predict the storm though, that was bad luck.”

“Maybe it’s a sign none of us should be the next commander.” Blue says. “Who do you all think the next commander would be?”

“It’ll be one of the six of us.” Lily points us. “We’re the last six in the competition.”

“What if they can’t find us and they decide to go on with the others from the conclave?” Blue asks, making a decent point. He feels like that could happen if it takes too long for their parents to find them. “This island seems tough to find, we slipped between those huge rocks.”

Kai shrugs. “If I had to bet who would win, I’d say Emily will.” He looks at the others. “So who do you think will win? You can’t say your own name.”

Emily looks at Kai. “I’d say you’d win. You have potential.”

Blue looks around. “It’s a tough choice. I would have to go with either Kai or Emily.”

Skye looks at her twin. “I’d say Lily or Minty.”

Kai throws a banana at Skye’s head. “You’re only saying Minty because she’s your girlfriend.”

“Oh looks who’s talking.” Skye spits back. “You picked Emily.”

“Emily is a warrior.”

Lily points at her sister. “I bet Skye would win.”

“Awe thanks sis.” Skye smiles at her twin and kisses her cheek.

Minty feels all eyes on her. “I bet Skye would win.”

Kai rolls his eyes. “I’m not even surprised to hear that.”

“I must say I feel a little left out.” Blue pretends to pout a bit. “None of you said my name.”

“You’re too soft to lead.” Kai says. “Just like Miss twinkle and Miss sparkle over there with their pet, Bubbles.”

“Hey!” Lily sounds offended. “My sister and I may be all cute with Bubbles, but we know how to fight. Have you forgotten the conclave?”

“Yeah.” Skye chimes in. “My sister and I landed on the third place together.”

Kai waves his hand to shake it off. “Okay yes, fine. That was good, happy now?”

Skye pinches Kai’s cheek. “We might be if you’d smile a little.”

Kai swats Skye’s hand away. “Stop that.”

Emily chuckles lightly. Her chuckles turn into a laugh when Kai gives her a light push.

Kai groans. “That does it, I will kill you all.” He gets up and approaches them.

The twins shriek. “No Kai, stop it! Stop tickling us!”

Minty jumps Kai’s back, but he pulls her off and tickles her.

Blue laughs and looks at Kai. “Oh yes, Kai, my sisters and I are such softies.” The sarcasm seeps through the tone of his voice.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is walking past a cabin when she notices that Raven is inside the cabin, and she hears Raven crying. She takes a deep breath and enters. Wordlessly, she sits down on the bed next to Raven.

Raven wipes her cheeks with the back of her hands. “Do you think that Kai knows that I love him?”

“Kai knows that you love him.”

Raven turns her face to look at Lexa. “I think he takes the whole adoption thing in a wrong way. What if he feels like I’m not his mother? What if he doesn’t want me to be?”

Lexa cups Raven’s cheeks and catches Raven’s tears with her thumbs. She presses her forehead gently against Raven’s. “You are Kai’s mother. You will always be his mother. He is lucky to have you and my sister as his mothers.”

Raven feels Lexa’s breath against her skin, mingling with her own breath. “How do you feel about having eight children?”

Lexa’s lips curve into a small smile. “It is quite the bunch. I never believed it would be possible for me to end up with eight children. It is a lot, but I love them all.”

“I wouldn’t be able to see myself with eight children. It’s like you got your own personal little army.”

Lexa lets out a raspy laugh. “Ah yes, they are a good army.”

Raven smiles at Lexa. “You really love those kids don’t you?”

Lexa nods. “Of course I love them.”

“Your kids are pretty special, you got like a mix. Aqua and Blue are both sweet and protective. I bet they’ll both be important when they get older. If Aqua stays with Hunter, that’s going to be one hell of an alliance with Roan’s people. Hope is a healer, so that’s cool. River will probably be like a warrior or something. Your oldest twins are going to kick some ass together. As for your youngest twins, well who knows, they could be anything.”

Lexa smiles at Raven’s words. “They are amazing, every single one of them.” She places a lock from Raven’s hair behind her ear. “Are you okay?”

Raven sniffles a little. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. It’s just this situation you know? With the kids.”

“I understand. We will find them, Raven. I promise.”

Raven snakes her hands around Lexa’s waist and hugs her. “It’s chill to have you around. Sometimes you go all commander and kick people’s butts and then at other times you’re like all sweet and sensitive. You’re much like Anya, but Anya is way hotter of course.”

Lexa eyes Raven who is smirking at her. “Can we not talk about how hot my sister is or isn’t?”

Raven snorts at the way Lexa’s nose scrunches up. “So yeah Anya’s got killer cheekbones, like damn, and the way she can roll her hips and the thing she can do with her to-”

Lexa cuts Raven off by putting one of her hands in front of Raven’s mouth.

 

* * *

 

 

Skye is holding some meat in her hand to feed the cub. She giggles when the cub’s tongue licks her fingers.

Emily is carving a new spear with a sharp point. “Thought of a name yet?” She looks at the twins.  

Lily nods. “Yeah, we’ve talked about names.”

Skye flashes Emily a bright smile. “We’re naming him Bubbles.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Emily stares at Skye. “Are you serious?”

Kai snorts out a laugh. “Bubbles, really?” Sometimes he can’t believe that they are being serious. When they got a cat from their grandmother, they named it Tiger. Now that they have an actual lion, they name him Bubbles.

Skye nods. “Yeah of course, look at him he’s so cute and cuddly.”

Lily holds the cub up in her arms. “Bubbles.” She coos.

Kai points at Bubbles. “You do know he won’t always be so little, right? He’ll grow up to be big, like those tigers we fought.”

Skye rubs her nose against Bubbles’ nose. “Bubbles is our little sweetiepie.” Her voice is light and bubbly. “Yes, you are.”

Emily rolls her eyes. “Yep, you are definitely the daughter of Clarke and Lexa.” She shares a knowing look with Kai.

“Tomorrow I will go fight those strangers on this island.” Kai announces. “It is better to attack them before they attack us, that way we will be one step ahead of them.”

“That’s a good plan.” Emily agrees. “Tomorrow sounds good.”

“We could climb up some trees and sneak up on them from the shadows.” Minty suggests. “That way we can have an element of surprise.”

Kai points his spear at Minty. “Yes, I like that idea.”

Emily holds her hand out. “Okay, who is in this with me?” She looks at the others.

Kai puts his hand on top of Emily’s. “I am.”

Skye and Lily hold their hands out together. “So are we.”

“Count me in.” Blue adds.

Minty holds her hand out and smiles shyly.

Kai gives them all a serious look. “We will leave at dawn and make our way to the right side of this island.” He looks at the cub. “What will you do with Bubbles?”

Skye and Lily nod at each other. “We will take Bubbles with us.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa wraps her arms around her wife’s waist. Together they look out over the sea, hoping to find something.

Clarke shuts her eyes. “I wonder where they are.” She misses her children.

Lexa struggles with this just as much as her wife struggles with this. They have to find the children soon. Every island is different. Few are deserted. If anything, she hopes they ended up on a deserted island. At least that will reduce the chances of danger. If they ended up somewhere where they are not alone, it is possible their lives could be in danger.

Roan has already making his round to visit their allies, and so far those allies haven’t seen any of the six children they lost. That doesn’t make it better. They could be somewhere on the territory of an enemy. Lexa knows there are still a few enemies left, but they tend to lay low because they cannot fight the drifters and their allies. However, if the children washed up with one of them, they will be in danger. Enemies would take advantage of that moment to kill the children. The children would be greatly outnumbered in a situation like that.

Lexa knows that enemies would exploit that opportunity to harm the drifters, by killing the children. They might even kill the children and burn their bodies, so they not a trace would be left. She tries not to think of the worst things that could happen, but it is hard not to. She should have protected the children. Perhaps the children were too young for all of this.

Clarke notices the distressed look on her wife’s face, the way Lexa furrows her brows and sinks into her thoughts. She knows this affects her wife just as much as it is affecting the rest of them. Lexa loves their children dearly, and she also cares a lot about the other children. She knows her wife cares about all of their people. If Lexa could trade places with the children, there is no doubt she would do that. She would do the same. She would give her life to keep the children safe.

Lexa balls her fists and wills her tears away.

“Hey, Lexa. It’s okay, you can cry.” Clarke’s voice is soft. “I know you’re hurt.”

Lexa shakes her head. She inhales deeply and exhales again. “The children are our weakness. Caring is weak.”

Clarke bites her lip. “You can’t mean that. You care about all of our people, I know you do.”

“I do care, and that makes me weak. Our children can be easy targets for enemies, Clarke. Enemies will know that hurting them will be my downfall.”

“Family can make you strong. I have seen how our children can make you stronger.”

“We will search for a week. Then we will go back home and leave it to others.” Lexa decides. “We cannot stay out here forever.”

Clarke feels tears stinging her eyes. “No, we have to keep looking for them. Our children need us, we need to find them.”

“Do not forget that we have five children at home, waiting for us to return.”

Clarke chews on her bottom lip. She knows that they have five children waiting for them at home, but that doesn’t mean she would ever give up looking for Blue, Skye and Lily. She also won’t give up looking for Kai, Emily and Minty. They have to find the children. Her wife has a point, but they can’t leave it at that. How would Aqua, Hope, River, Summer and Clay feel if they don’t bring their brother and their sisters back?

Lexa doesn’t want to be too harsh, but she has to seek reason. Her people will be waiting for her to return to lead them. She cannot spend endless amounts of time out at sea, the way her father and Jake have in the past. She won’t give up trying to find them, but eventually she has to go back and let others take over. Realistically she has to accept that the children might be dead, and if they’re not, they could be dead soon.

Clarke looks at her wife with tears in her eyes. “If you are going to give up on our children, then you’re not the woman I married.” Saying those words only makes the pain worse.

Lexa opens her arms and waits for her wife to accept her embrace. “I apologize, Clarke. It is never my purpose to hurt you.”

“Promise me you won’t give up on our children, Lexa.”

“I promise, Clarke.”

Clarke wipes her tears away. “Even if it takes a long time, don’t give up.”

“It takes as long as it takes.”

 

* * *

 

 

Dawn is barely breaking through when the children slip away from the cave.

Skye is holding Bubbles in her arms.

Kai and Emily lead Blue, Skye, Lily and Minty to go to the right side of the island.

They hear several noises around them. Some are from water, others are animal sounds. They can’t place all of the sounds.

A bear appears in front of the children.

Kai and Emily attack the bear, ready to take it down. The bear claws at them.

Kai doesn’t make a sound when the bear claws him several times. He is fearless. If he dies today, he will die as a warrior, honorable. He reaches for his dagger and stabs to bear. He can tell the bear doesn’t go down as easy as the tigers.

Emily stabs her spear in the bear’s back.

Minty climbs up a nearby tree. When she has climbed high enough to look out over the bear, she pushes herself off from the tree. She lands on top of the bear and plunges her dagger in his head.

The bear growls loudly and shakes Minty off.

Blue manages to catch Minty before she would roughly fall down.

Kai and Emily stab the bear until he is dead.

There are four sharp teeth in the bear’s mouth. Kai cuts them loose, determined to make a necklace with them, along with the sharp teeth he collected from the tigers. He puts them in his pocket.

Emily wonders which part of the island is more dangerous. The left where they are walking away from, with all those wild animals they have to fight, or the right side of the island where Kai saw strangers beheading other people for some sick and twisted ritual. Either way, if they are going to die, they will die fighting. There is no way they would go down without a fight.

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke is comfortably cuddled up in her wife’s arms. She can feel Lexa stir, but she doesn’t want to let go of her wife’s yet. Lexa is like a warm blanket. Last night she struggled to fall asleep. It was sweet how Lexa told her stories until she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Lexa cracks her eyes open. She smiles when she sees that her wife is sleeping on her chest. One if Clarke’s arms is draped over her body, and so is one of her wife’s legs. There are a few strands of Clarke’s blonde hair splayed over her chest and her face.

Clarke feels her wife’s heart beating faster. One of Lexa’s hands is caressing her cheek. She wishes this moment could last forever, just the two of them, or at least for a while. The most amazing part is that she knows that her wife’s heart beats mostly for her. Every night she spends with Lexa is perfect. She has known Lexa for twenty-two years. Ever since their first night on their island, they spent the night cuddling while they slept. They have been spending every night cuddled up together ever since.

It’s amazing that at age thirty-two, she can say that she has been with Lexa for twenty years. Something like that seems rare for people her age. What makes it even more special is that they are raising eight children together. There have been short moments where she thought that perhaps they could go for more children, but eight is really a bunch. When their children grow up, they will be spreading their wings out. That will be tough. She can already feel that happening with Aqua. If Aqua is determined to stay with Hunter, then she’ll only have three years left before she has to let Aqua go. Eventually all her children will get married and start their own families.

Clarke knows that a lot will change. Time has been moving fast. Her parents are aging, which is another painful realization. Her father has a concussion. She hopes he will be okay. She wonders how many years she has left with him. He should stay on their island, and Gustus should stay too. Her father and Gustus sailed out so much they barely got to spend time with them.

Lexa regretfully tries to sneak away so she can go on to the deck. Her movements wake her wife up even more. Now that Clarke is opening her eyes, she takes this moment to kiss her. She doesn’t care about her wife’s morning breath. To her, Clarke is always perfect.

 

* * *

 

 

The children hear one of the strangers, who might be the leader, shout a few things to the other strangers. They don’t understand what the stranger is saying. They see the strangers moving closer, they must have been discovered. There goes their element of surprise.

“Jomp op! ( _Attack_!)”

Kai jumps out from between the trees, ready to attack the strangers on the island. He has a spear in one hand and his dagger in his other hand.

Emily, Blue, Skye, Lily and Minty jump out next to Kai.

“Hod op! ( _Wait_!)”

The children find themselves surrounded fast by the strangers. They’re ready to fight them. They’re aware of how outnumbered they are, but they fought in the conclave and they can fight again.

One of the strangers approaches the children. “Ai laik Mortdecai kom boudalan. Chit yu gaf?”

Lily tilts her head. “Did that stranger just curse at us?” All she understood was ‘shit.’

The stranger clears his throat. “I said I am Mordecai from the Rock Line. What do you want?”

“What kind of language were you speaking before?” Emily asks curiously, completely ignoring his question.

“Trigedasleng. We picked it up from the Trikru, before... Anyway, that does not matter. Tell me children, what do you want? Where are you from?”

Kai points his spear towards the stranger. “I saw what your people did when you were beheading people. I will not let you behead any of my people.” He bares his teeth at the stranger.

“We had to behead those people.” Mordecai tries his best to explain. “Those people were poachers, here for the ivory of the elephants. We do not have many elephants left. Poaching is against the rules on my island.”

“What is a poacher and what does poaching mean?” Minty asks. She doesn’t know what Mordecai is talking about.

“A poacher is someone who illegally hunts and kills animals, poaching is something a poacher does.” Mordecai gives the children a curious look. “Who are your people?”

“We are drifters.” Kai replies.

“Drifters, yes, I see.” Mordecai holds his hands up for his people to stand down. “My people and I have heard much about the drifters. The drifters destroyed Mountain Island, one of our biggest enemies. You do not have to attack us. We are not your enemies.”

Skye scoffs. “Yeah right, who says you’re telling us the truth?”

“If I was lying, you would be dead now.”

Kai shakes his head. “Drifters do not die so easily.”

Mordecai laughs. “Oh I know, I know all about the reputation from the drifters. I have wanted to meet them. What are the six of you doing on my island?”

“We are shipwrecked.” Minty replies. “We were supposed to be brought to an island for a survival skills test, but there was a storm.”

“Are any of you related to the commander by any chance?” Mordecai asks. He can tell they are hesitant to answer. “I heard the rumors about the orphans, and the commander and her wife’s love for children.”

“I’m the commander’s son.” Blue replies. He points at the twins. “They are my sisters.”

Mordecai looks at the cub in one of the children’s arms. “You should be careful with that cub, goufa.”

Skye narrow her eyes. “What did you just call me?”

“Goufa means child.” Mordecai explains.

“Well yeah I’m a child, but I have a name.” Skye replies. “Which is Skye.”

“Be careful with that cub, Skye. His mother might still be around.” Mordecai warns. “You would not want to meet his mother.”

“I think he was abandoned or something.” Lily adds. “I’m Lily.”

Kai puts his spear down in the sand, with his hand still gripped around it in case he needs it. “My name is Kai. I’m a warrior.”

Mordecai nods briefly. “Noted, gona.” He sees the children staring at him. “Gona means warrior.”

Emily tucks her dagger in her waistband. “I’m Emily and I’m a warrior too.”

Blue takes a cautious step forward. “My name is Blue.”

Minty looks at the others for a moment. “I’m Minty.”

“I am missing my two pet tigers.” Mordecai says. “Did you by any chance see them?”

Minty steps behind Blue and tries to toss the fur in one of the bushes, without being noticed. She’s nervous now that she knows killing animals is against the rules here.

The children know they killed two tigers and a bear.

Blue shakes his head. “Tigers? No.” He hopes Mordecai won’t see through his lie.

Mordecai looks at his people and then back at the children. “We can bring you all home. In exchange we want an alliance with the drifters.”

“I think that can be arranged.” Blue replies.

Mordecai notices the way Kai is bleeding. “Sis em au! ( _help him_!)” He shouts to one of his people.

Kai holds his dagger out when a man approaches him.

“He will heal you.” Mordecai explains.

Kai relaxes a bit, but still holds on to his dagger.

“As for my pet tigers…” Mordecai glares at the children. “…I want their furs. Be warned, if you kill one the animals again, you will die for that crime.”

Kai, Emily, Blue, Skye, Lily and Minty are surprised when Mordecai leads them to a secret entrance. Through that secret entrance, a ship is out on the water.

Lily is holding Bubbles in her arms. Together with Skye, she had argued with Mordecai about keeping him. Eventually Mordecai allowed them to keep Bubbles.

Mordecai and a few of his guards guide the children on board of Mordecai’s ship. He will take the children home.

 

* * *

 

 

Aden is on the beach when he sees that a ship has approached. He grabs his sword and makes his way to the water, where a few strangers are already getting off of that ship.

Mordecai holds his hand out to what appears to be the drifter’s leader, although he was fairly sure the leader is a woman, not a man. “Hello, my name is Mordecai. I’m here to return the six children your people lost.”

Aden shakes the man’s hand. “Hello, I’m Aden. I’m leading the drifters in my sister’s absence.”

Mordecai’s eyes widen. “Your name is Aden?” He knows that name.

Aden nods. That is what he just told the stranger.

“Haihefa Aden kom Trikru?” Mordecai asks.

Aden tilts his head. “That language sounds vaguely familiar, but I don’t understand what you are saying.”

Mordecai clears his throat. “King Aden from Trikru?”

Aden’s eyes widen. He knows that he was a prince with his old people, and that since his parents drowned, he would have been king. The people from Mountain Island ended his people.

Mordecai licks his lips. “Everyone assumed you drowned along with your parents. My people were good friends with your people.” He is surprised to see that Aden is alive.

“You say you’re here to bring the children back?” Aden asks. He hopes that is true.

Mordecai nods and waves his hand towards a few of his men. Shortly after that, the children appear.

Aden turns around to look at the drifters. “Atom, radio our commander and tell her the children are back with us.”

Atom runs off to do as he’s told.

Aden eyes the children, to see if they are okay. He sees the twins are holding an animal.

Mordecai steps closer towards Aden and places a hand on his shoulder. “We should talk about what happened to your people.”

Aden raises one of his eyebrows. His people are here on the island with him, aside from Lexa, Clarke, Raven, Anya, Octavia, Lincoln, Monty and Miller who are out at sea because they have been looking for the children.

“You need to know what really happened to Trikru.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the children are back. Mordecai knows things that Aden doesn't know.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter will reveal which child has won to eventually become the next commander.   
> Aden, Lexa and Anya learn harsh truths about their past. 
> 
> Lexa is shocked when she hears that Gustus is not her actual father.   
> It appears Aden isn't the only one who is left from Trikru...

Clarke is so happy when she arrives on the beach of her home and sees her children.

“My precious sweethearts, it’s so good to see you all again!” Clarke smiles at Blue, Skye and Lily. “I missed you so much!” She wraps them tightly in her arms.

“Mom please, you’re suffocating us with your hug.” Lily groans. “I can’t breathe.”

“We were only gone for a few days.” Skye adds. “You always coddle us.”

Lexa points at the cub the twins are holding. “What is that animal doing here?”

Skye looks up at her mother with a smile. “This is Bubbles, our pet.”

Lexa shakes her head. “No, he is not your pet. This is not happening.”

“Please, mama.” Skye pleads. “Please.” She turns to look at her other mother. “Please, mom.”

Clarke smiles at her twins. How can she say no? It’s a cub, he doesn’t look dangerous or anything.

Lexa sighs when she sees the look on her wife’s face. “Okay, you can keep… Bubbles as long as he does not harm anyone.” She wonders why they named him Bubbles. He’s a lion not some bath toy. “If he gets dangerous when he grows up, he cannot stay, understood?”

Lexa thinks about how much the twins take after her wife. When they want something, it is very difficult for her to deny it from them. Clarke wanted eight children? Sure, why not. Her children want a baby lion? Okay, why not. She spoils them all too much. She knows it, but she can’t help it. If anything, she should blame her wife and her children. They are all guilty of being too adorable.

“Yes, mama.” The twins reply together. “We understand.”

Lexa holds her hand out to Mordecai. “Thank you for bringing the children back to us.” She shakes his hand. “It has been brought to my attention that you seek an alliance with my people.”

Mordecai pulls his hands away. “Yes, my people from the Rock Line seek an alliance with the drifters.”

“You are the leader of your people?”

Mordecai nods briefly. “Sha, heda.”

Lexa tilts her head. “I do not understand what you said.”

“I said yes, commander.”

“He was talking in Trigedasleng.” Aden clarifies. “He said he knows what truly happened to my people, you know, my people before I got here on this island. They were called Trikru, and he knows about them.”

Lexa licks her lips. “That is interesting. I thought Ontari said they fought the people from Mountain Island and that those people killed all of your old people?”

Aden nods. “Yes, that’s what Ontari said years ago.”

Mordecai scoffs. “That is not entirely true.” His facial expressions harden. “Do you accept an alliance with my people?”

Lexa nods. “You may have an alliance with us.” It is the least she can do to thank him for bringing the children back.

“Can we talk privately? I will tell you all I know about Trikru.” Mordecai assures.

Lexa takes a moment to hug her children. She hasn’t been able to hug them for a few days.

“I think heda sounds good.” Skye whispers.

“Yeah definitely.” Lily chimes in. “Sha heda sounds better than yes commander.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is in her hut with Clarke, Aden, Raven, Anya, Octavia and Mordecai. She had given Mordecai a brief explanation that the six of them have been on the islands for years and grew up here, so they are allowed to hear what Mordecai has to say.

Indra is standing outside Lexa’s hut as a guard, to make sure nobody enters or tries to listen. She will pretend she doesn’t hear what they are saying.

Mordecai sits down in the commander’s hut with the others in a circle. They are all looking at him expectantly. “Ontari has not been truthful.”

“Ontari told me my old people died when they fought against the Mountain Men.” Aden replies with a stern voice. “My parents died due to a storm, because they drowned.”

“Does the name Luna mean anything to you?” Mordecai asks.

Lexa nods. “Luna was in a relationship with Ontari. Nia held Luna as a slave and a prisoner. After Nia was defeated, Luna and Ontari were together. Both of them helped us defeat a few enemies. Luna left Ontari some years ago. Ontari is with king Roan now.” She wonders what Luna has to do with Aden’s old people.

“Luna was Trikru, she is Aden’s older sister.” Mordecai explains.

Aden gasps. “Luna is my sister? She never told me… I didn’t know… I thought I was an only child.”

Mordecai shakes his head. “Luna does not know about your existence. Your parents lost Luna before you were born. She was taken when she was very little. The Mountain Men took her. She was gifted to Nia. I do not know the specific details, but something was not right about the deal Nia made with the Mountain Men.” He looks at Aden. “Your parents were going to bring you to us when you were eleven, when a war broke out, but there was a storm and they never made it.”

“Did Ontari know about Luna being Trikru?”

Mordecai nods. “Yes, unfortunately she knew. The Trikru used to have an alliance with Nia. I tried to warn them they should not ally with her. Nia wanted Trikru to be gone, because they held a lot of power. In exchange for sharing the Trikru’s location, the Mountain Men gifted Luna to Nia, because Luna was the princess. Much to their dismay, they did not defeat the Trikru that day, but it did not stop there. Eleven years later they returned and the Mountain Men killed half of your people. The other half was captured. Wallace is the one who captured them with his people.”

“I killed Cage.” Lexa replies. “Cage is no more. Mountain Island is destroyed.”

“You are right. Cage is dead. Mountain Island is destroyed. I am talking about Dante Wallace, Cage’s father.”

“Mountain Island is destroyed with all the enemies that were on it.” Lexa clarifies. “That island is gone, forever.”

Mordecai gives Lexa a serious look. “Dante did not live there. Half the people of the Trikru who he captured have been taken away.”

Lexa crosses her arms. “Spill it, where did he take them? More importantly, are they still alive?”

“Dante took them to civilization. The Trikru had been discovering the truth about the experiments. As a close friend of Aden’s parents, they told me. We have never been to civilization. It is entirely foreign to us, to my people and me. People in civilization are different.”

Lexa shakes her head. “This cannot be true. How can they capture half a tribe and bring them to civilization just like that?”

“An army is involved. They have guns.” Mordecai explains. “Nobody ever makes it out there alive.”

“We have been told Cage was about ninety years old, despite looking barely half that old, because he was draining the life from others, so he could live longer. You are telling us Dante captured half of the Trikru when Aden was eleven, which is twenty years ago. How old would that make Dante if he is Cage’s father? Are his experiments the same as his son’s?”

Mordecai pauses for a moment before answering. “Dante is older. Presumably around 160 years old now. I do not have many details. All I know is that he took them to a secret facility in civilization with some sort of army that has guns. Dante’s experiments are different than Cage’s. Perhaps worse.”

Lexa grips her hands around the hilt of her sword until her knuckles turn white. “Where is it located?”

“I do not have a specific location, but I do have a map where a circle is drawn around a certain area.”

Aden takes a few deep breaths. “I want to see Luna. I want to see my sister.”

“Luna does not know that she was Trikru. She was young when she was taken and brought to Nia. All she ever knew was the life of a slave. Ontari might have told her the truth. That might be why she left Ontari.” Mordecai shrugs a bit. “You should all talk to Ontari. She has not exactly been honest.”

Aden takes a deep breath and looks at Lexa. “I want to go to civilization. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to go. There could still be people of the Trikru alive. I hope you understand, Lexa.”

Mordecai stares at Lexa, who up until now, he only knew as the commander. “Your name is Lexa?” He sees her nod. “Do you have a sister named Anya?” He should have asked them about their names.

Anya waves. “Sitting right here.”

“What gives?” Raven asks.

Mordecai shifts his eyes between all of them. “Lexa and Anya are Trikru.”

Lexa shakes her head. “Impossible, when we were younger we spent a lot of time sailing with our father. We were at civilization briefly in our youth. We have been drifters for twenty-two years.”

Mordecai shakes his head. “Your parents are dead.”

“Our father has broken his leg, but he is very much alive.” Anya whispers.

“Who is this father you speak off?”

“Gustus.”

Mordecai’s eyes light up. “Gostos kom Trikru.” He looks at Anya and Lexa. “Gustus must have adopted you both. He left the Trikru many years before the war and everything else.”

Lexa’s eyes widen and she looks at her sister. “We are adopted!?” she stands up and leaves. Her father never told her this.

 

* * *

 

 

Gustus is in the healer’s hut with Jake. They are both getting some rest, until Lexa bursts in.

Lexa’s face is showing anger, frustration, disappointment and more. She points at her father. “You lied! You lied to me and you lied to Anya!” Tears escape from her eyes. “You never told us we were Trikru!”

Gustus eyes soften. “I apologize, Lexa. To me, you and Anya will always be my daughters. I raised you both.”

Lexa’s hands are shaking. “Explain, now.”

“Anya was four, you were a baby. Your father had passed away before you were born. I was a close friend to your parents. When your mother was dying, I promised I would take care of you both. I took you both away from the Trikru. When I was raising you both, I tried to give you both a life partly in civilization and partly out at sea, in forests and on islands for survival skills.”

“You should have told us.” Lexa’s voice is wavering. “You never told us you adopted us, you could have told us, you should have. You know Anya adopted a son. You saw me adopting six children, and you never said a word!”

“Am I not as much your father as you are the mother of Aqua, Blue, River, Hope, Skye and Lily?”

Lexa takes one of her father’s hands and squeezes gently. “Of course you are my father, and Anya’s father. I merely wish you would have told us.”

Clarke walks in and catches her wife before she collapses. “I’m so sorry this is happening, Lexa.”

Lexa lets her tears flow, over her cheeks and down onto her wife’s shirt. “I need to go to civilization with Anya and Aden. We need to know if there are still people from the Trikru captured there.”

Clarke nods. “We will form an army and we will go. You should walk to the beach with me, Roan and Ontari have arrived.”

“Good, I need to have a word with Ontari.”

 

* * *

 

 

Ontari smiles at the drifters when they approach her. She’s concerned when she sees how angry Lexa, Anya and Aden look. They found the children, why are they so angry? Her eyes widen when she sees Mordecai from the Rock Line. Roan’s people have never been allies with the Rock Line. Mordecai despises them and she knows why.

Mordecai glares at Ontari. “Hello, Ontari. Before you ask, yes they know. I told them.”

Aden pushes Ontari. “You knew Luna is my sister and you did not tell me!” He is angry at Ontari for keeping that from him.

“I was worried she would get angry with me, I wanted to protect her. When I told her the truth a few years ago, she left me. When she left, it broke my heart.”

“You should have told us all the truth!” Lexa growls. “You are a liar, Ontari!”

Ontari stares down at the sand. Tears roll down her cheeks. Losing Luna was hard enough already.

“Hey, that is enough!” Roan warns. “Don’t forget that we are your allies. We helped you many times. I borrowed you one of my ships when you lost six children.”

Roan doesn’t feel like it is fair for them to react like that towards Ontari. He knows that she did not mean to cause any hurt. Ontari was trying to protect Luna. When Ontari told Luna about her people, she lost Luna. Ontari has been through enough pain, he doesn’t want her to go through more pain.

Hunter looks at his parents. “Does this mean we are going to be enemies again?” He sighs. “I do not want to lose Aqua.” He doesn’t like it when they’re arguing.

Ontari looks at the drifters. “You can be mad at me, but don’t take it out on Hunter.”

“Where is Luna?” Aden demands to know.

“I believe she is with the Boat People.” Ontari replies. “They are peaceful. I think she likes it there.”

“Did you tell her I’m her brother?”

Ontari shakes her head.

Lexa clears her throat. “We will be going to civilization to bring Dante Wallace down and to free any remaining people.” She turns around to look at the drifters. “We will be going to war soon, make sure you are ready!”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is sitting down on the beach with her elite team. It is night. The other drifters are in their huts. She has given her allies a few spare huts they can use. Soon they will all be going to war together.

Roan and Ontari have left to collect their other allies, such as their allies from Shallow Valley and their allies from the Boat People. They are supposed to collect Luna as well.

Raven settles herself down on Anya’s lap. “Okay, so we have a winner?”

“Yes, one child has won.” Lexa replies with a bit of pride. “Tomorrow I shall reveal this news to our people.”

Raven grins. “Kai got back home with a bunch of teeth from the kills they all made.” She thinks about the moment he held his hand open to show all the teeth. “They killed two tigers and a bear. Like whoa seriously. Two tigers and a fucking bear.”

Lexa rolls her eyes. “Raven, language.” She lowers herself onto the sand. “Mordecai does not seem happy about it. He told me those tigers were his pets and that killing animals like that is forbidden on his island.”

“Okay, but the children obviously didn’t know that.” Raven tries to reason. “What the hell would you have done if a tiger or a bear shows up, attacking you?”

Lexa holds her hands up. “Yes, I admit, I would have killed those animals too, unless I would know about those rules.”

Raven laughs. “So what you’re just gonna be like hey there little big bear, can you like not attack me and shit cuz I can’t kill ya?”

Lexa mutters to herself. Why does she even bother to correct Raven? No matter how many times she corrects Raven, it is not like Raven ever stops.

“Oh I know!” Clarke pipes up. “I would have climbed a tree so they wouldn’t be able to reach me.”

Raven crosses her arms. “Oh sure, Clarke. You know you’d have to come down eventually, genius.”

“Well since you’re the smartass here…” Clarke vaguely moves her hand around. “What would you have done?”

“I would just kill it. In a moment like that, it would be either me or that animal.”

“I can’t believe Mordecai allowed the twins to keep that cub.” Aden whispers.

Anya chuckles lightly. “I can’t believe they named him Bubbles.”

Raven joins her wife and laughs. “When that cub turns into a big ass lion it’ll be so weird when they’ll be calling him. It’s going to confuse strangers a lot. The twins will be all like ‘come here Bubbles’ and they’ll be expecting some small kitty cat and then it’s like ‘nope fam, this is our lion that’s gonna rip you in two if you even dare to make one wrong move’. I totally see the twins training their little lion to be this big badass lion that’s like super sweet around the drifters, but sinks its teeth in our enemies.”

Clarke looks at her wife. “I hope my mother and Kane will take good care of Summer and Clay when we drop them off with them, until we have solved our little issue with Dante Wallace.” She is relieved to know that the young twins will be safe there.

“Oh yeah that’s right, you’re gonna drop them off there!” Raven jerks up. “I wonder how Abby is going to react to Bubbles.” She snorts. “Bet you twenty coconuts she’s going to faint or worse when she sees him, he’ll scare the shit out of her.”

Clarke shrugs. “My mother will have to accept him. Bubbles cannot come with us to war. She will just have to see him as a cat.”

“So the other little kids from our island will be dropped off in Gustus’ house with Gustus and Jake?” Raven asks curiously.

Lexa nods. “Yes, that is the plan. Gustus and Jake are still recovering. Hope will be staying with them to help them heal, along with her girlfriend Rosie.”

“Gustus and my father will need to rest a lot.” Clarke adds. “It seems better to drop Summer and Clay off at my mother’s and Bubbles too. Gustus’ house will already be packed as it is.”

Raven whistles. “Our army is going to be huge. All our warriors are going. The adults are going, aside from Jake and Gustus who are wounded. A whole bunch of the kids are going, then all of our allies who are going. We’re going to go squash Dante and his people.”

“I wonder how the rest of our people will react to civilization.” Anya notes, sharing her thoughts aloud. “Most of our people have never been there.”

“I will command them to stay inside.” Lexa does not want them wandering around.

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning Lexa gathers her people. She has had a long discussion with her elite team about Kai, Emily, Blue, Skye, Lily and Minty. They have compared all the scores they gathered during all the tests. A choice has been made, there is a winner.

Lexa holds her hands up to talk to her people.

“Drifters, it is an honor for me to be able to announce who the overall winner is to become the next commander. It has been a rough time. The children all worked hard for this. After many discussions with my elite team, we all agree that the winner truly deserves this. I will be training the winner as my co-commander, until I officially pass my title on. I must say, the scores were close to one another.”

The children hold their breath. They have been waiting for this moment. Finally they will know who wins.

Lexa smiles brightly and looks at the children. “The winner is Emily. Well done, Emily.”

The drifters whistle and clap their hands.

Octavia is so, so proud of her little angel. Emily truly deserves this. She has done so well. Emily trained really hard for all of this. She knows her daughter will be a great commander someday.

Emily stands up and approaches Lexa. She is so happy that she has won. She feels like the five other children would have deserved it just as much as she does, even little Minty.

Lexa kneels down next to Emily so she can be at eye-level with her.

Clarke smiles at Emily. “Are you ready for this, kiddo?”

Emily smiles and nods. “I was born ready.”

“There is one more thing.” Lexa says calmly. “One part we haven’t revealed yet.”

“Oh okay and what is that?” Emily asks curiously.

Lexa points around at all the children. “You may choose a right hand.”

Emily’s eyes light up. “Really?”

Lexa nods. “Yes, really.”

Emily looks around at the children, who look surprised too. She won’t pick Kai, because she already knows she wants to continue her relationship with him, and together they can rule someday. Kai will be her equal, just like Clarke is Lexa’s equal.

Lexa notices that Emily is fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. “Is something the matter, Emily?”

Emily shakes her head. “No, not really. I’m just wondering… Can I perhaps uh… well see, the thing is I’m with Kai and when I lead, he will be my equal.”

Lexa smiles at Emily. She already assumed Emily would do that, and she doesn’t mind. Emily will be a great leader eventually. Kai will give her extra strength.

“I was wondering if…” Emily’s voice sounds so small right now. “I want the twins. I want Skye and Lily. They’re great together and they can be my right hand and Kai’s right hand at once. If… if that’s okay?” She likes the spice the twins have, especially together.

“Hmm.” Lexa licks her lips. “Yes, you may have the twins as a right hand.”

Skye and Lily jump up and give each other a high five.

Lexa smiles at Emily. “My little co-commander, you may tell everyone what their tasks are for today.”

Emily pipes up. “You’re really letting me do that?”

Lexa chuckles lightly at Emily’s surprised reactions. “Yes, of course. You will rule on my side, with my wife, until I pass on my title to you officially.” Her stoic mask slips on. “I suggest you pack your bag today. Soon we will be going to civilization to go to war.”

“I presume Kai and the twins will be joining?” Emily asks seriously. It would make sense if they do. Kai is a warrior and the twins are her right hands.

Lexa nods solemnly. She had not anticipated that one of the first things she would do with the winner would be to go to war, yet here they are. She will be taking all her warriors with her, along with some others. There will be children joining too. She has agreed with her wife that they will drop Summer and Clay off with Abby, until they have handled their enemies. Abby does not know about that part yet.

When they radioed Abby to let her know briefly, they mentioned they will bring Summer and Clay over because they have… business to take care off. Certain things are better to be kept from Abby, since she does not particularly responds in the best ways. They also told her that there will be a pet, Bubbles. When Abby asked what kind of pet Bubbles is, they told her it is a cat. Well… a lion can count as a cat. It will be fine. Bubbles is harmless. It is a tiny detail that Bubbles is a lion. He’s just a cub, how bad can it be?

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is walking on the beach with her wife and with Emily, giving orders to their people, when they see Roan and Ontari have returned with the rest of their allies.

Roan steps aside. “We brought Luna, as you requested.” He points at Luna.

Lexa takes a step towards Luna. “Have they told you Aden is your brother?”

“Yes, they told me on the way here. I never knew I had a brother.”

“You have a bit more than just a brother.” Mordecai shows up behind them. “I apologize for not telling this sooner, commander.” He looks briefly at Lexa. “Luna’s mother had a sister. That sister was Lexa’s and Anya’s mother.”

Lexa connects the dots. “Luna is my cousin?”

Mordecai nods. “Sha, heda.”

Aden runs over to talk with Luna.

Mordecai looks at Lexa. “My people and I are ready to go to war, at civilization.”

Lexa flicks her wrist for her allies to follow her. She gathers everyone around her campfire. Her island is quite packed right now, with all her people and all her allies. She has a big army. How tough can it be to defeat Dante? So what if he has those strange gun weapons?

Lexa holds her hands up until everyone is silent and listens. “Drifters, we are here with our allies. Every single one of us will be sailing to civilization.” She hears some of her people gasp. “Every warrior and every adult will fight with us. If you are ten or older, you will fight too.” She can see the shocked looks on some people’s face. Yes, ten is young, but Minty and the triplets are ten and they were all participating with the hopes of becoming the next commander. She needs as many people as possible. “Anyone younger than ten will not fight. We will sail with the ships of our allies. Split up and get on board. Go pack your bags now, I want you all back on the beach in the blink of an eye, ready to leave!”

The drifters quickly pack and run back to the beach.

Lexa watches her people as they split up and divide themselves on the ships of their allies. She watches as Gustus and Jake are being carried on makeshift stretchers.

When all her people have boarded the ships, she goes on board of Mordecai’s ship.

“Commander, we should create a plan.” Mordecai suggests. “We can talk privately in my cabin.”

Lexa nods and grasps Emily’s forearm to take Emily with her.

Mordecai looks at Emily and then back at the commander. “We should talk privately, commander, without the child.”

Lexa clears her throat and narrows her eyes. “This child will be the next commander. You will show her respect.” Her voice is cold and warning.

“I apologize, commander.”

Mordecai guides Lexa and Emily to his cabin and shuts the door to talk. “What is your plan once we arrive at civilization, commander?”

Lexa looks at Emily. “What do you suggest, young one?”

Emily is trying to process everything that is happening. She’s still surprised about the role she has been receiving, and how she can join this private conversation. Now the commander wants her to make a suggestion?

“We don’t know much about this enemy.” Emily concludes. “I think that we need to get someone on the inside. Raven has something that she calls walkies. If we get someone on the inside with a walkie, if we can sneak someone in, that person can contact us through that walkie to let us know what is going on in there and what we will be facing. Everywhere you go, there are always loopholes. Even if that place is surrounded by strongly armed strangers, there must be a way to sneak in. The person who will have to sneak in might be discovered. I say, we sneak a child in, someone who looks innocent and fragile, but can actually kill.” She sees that she has Lexa’s and Mordecai’s attention. “When the enemy discovers the child who snuck in, they would think it’s just a child and that will give us an edge. Maybe we could sneak the twins in or Minty. In civilization places are different. They have buildings. Perhaps they have a chimney like Abby has one or something else that could get us in from the top. We need to make several teams. If the enemy is busy fighting a part of our army at the front, we need to have another army ready at the back. We have to surround them. If we can capture one of those enemies, we can steal their clothes and get in as one of them, it will be a disguise. Anyway, these are my suggestions so far, once I see that place, I can make more suggestions.”

Lexa smiles proudly at Emily. She gives Mordecai a pointed look. “As I said, she will be the next commander.” She is impressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They are on their way to civilization to go to war with Dante. Abby is expecting Summer, Clay and a cat... Abby will be so happy when she meets Bubbles :)


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ****Warning: the ending might be painful or something****

The drifters and their allies arrive at civilization. The whole bunch of them gets onto the beach. Luckily they arrived at dawn and aside from them, the beach is empty. That’s for the best, because the strangers at civilization would know something is not right.

The drifters and their allies truly outdid themselves by bringing so many of them to civilization. Lexa may have gone overboard the most by taking all her people to civilization, but she didn’t have much of a choice. She couldn’t leave the youngest children alone the island.

Lexa steps out in front of the drifters and her allies with her wife and with Emily, to lead. She sees that none of them are wearing shoes. Drifters do not wear shoes and their allies do not wear shoes either. It would be too complicated to provide shoes for so many people.

“I will warn you all up front to stay close to each other, and you must know the ground is hard around here.” Lexa flicks her wrist to lead. She walks up to Jake, who has been recovering from his concussion. “Jake will lead the young children who will not fight to my father’s house, along with Rosie and Hope, who will not be fighting either.”

Jake steps forward and gathers the young children. Rosie and Hope help to carry the makeshift stretcher Gustus is on. He wonders where all those children are supposed to sleep. He is concerned about the war the drifters are going to have, and concerned about the amount of children that will be fighting with the drifters. Five of his grandchildren will be fighting in that war. Why are they all growing up so fast?

“Jake, I want you to keep them all inside Gustus’ house. Do not let them go outside.” Lexa warns. “We will collect them when we are done.”

“Yes, commander.” Jake replies.

Lexa watches at the young children leave with Jake. When they are gone, she continues. “My wife and I will take Summer and Clay to their grandmother, along with the children’s pet. The rest of you will wait here on the beach until we are back. During my absence, Emily is in charge.” She looks at Octavia. “Octavia, keep an eye on everyone.”

Skye and Lily hand Bubbles to their mother.

Emily looks at their huge army consisting of drifters and their allies. She can’t believe Lexa is leaving her in charge for a while. This army counts hundreds.

Octavia stays close to her daughter. She is ready to kill anyone who would dare to look at Emily in the wrong way.

Emily flicks her wrist. “Gather all your weapons. Be ready for when our commander returns!” She commands. She smiles proudly as they all listen without hesitating. She can get used to this.

Kai walks up to Emily to hold her hand.

Emily feels stronger with Kai on her side. Someday, she will officially be the commander and then she will lead with Kai. Together they will be invincible. First, they have to make it through this war. 

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is hiding Bubbles behind her back when Abby opens the door.

Abby kneels down and smiles at the twins. “Hi honeys, it’s so good to see you both. Can I get a hug?”

Summer and Clay smile and hug their grandmother.

“It’s good to see you too.” Summer replies.

Clay nods. “Yes, it’s good to see you.”

Abby looks up at her daughter. “Hi honey, I’ve missed you.”

Clarke hugs her mother. “I missed you too, mom.”

“How long are you letting them stay at my place?”

Clarke shakes her head. “I’m not sure, mom. We have to take care of some things. After that, we will come back.”

“Well, I have no idea what you’re up to this time, but it’s so good to see that you’re here at civilization.” Abby smiles warmly. “It’s lovely to have the young twins over. I’m surprised you won’t be staying here with them and that the rest of my grandchildren won’t be with them.”

“Uh yeah, we just have to arrange something.” Clarke shrugs a bit and tries to appear as neutral as possible. “It’s just boring stuff and the young twins don’t need to come with us for that. It’s something minor.” She knows she’s lying, but she has to.

If only her mother would know the truth. She can’t tell her mother the truth. Her mother would freak out if she would tell her they are going to war with enemies who have a secret facility and who use guns. If she would tell her mother, then her mother would show her fifty types of fainting, or worse. It’s not like she can tell her mother they gathered a huge army to have a war with the most dangerous enemy so far.

Abby looks at Lexa with curious eyes. “I’ve been told there would be a cat that will be staying here too.”

Lexa nods. “Perhaps you should go inside and sit down first.”

Abby waves her hand and laughs. “Don’t be silly, I don’t need to sit down.”

Lexa gives her wife a look. They nod at each other. She reveals the cub from behind her back. “Abby, this is Bubbles, the children’s… cat.” She sees the color drain from Abby’s face.

“Mom!” Clarke gasps.

Lexa looks down at Abby who has fainted. “I did tell her she should sit down first.” She tried to warn her, but Abby didn’t listen.

Summer looks up at her mother. “Maybe she likes to lie down.”

Clarke and Lexa try not to laugh, but they can’t stop themselves.

Kane appears at the door behind Abby. He looks at Clarke. “Did you adopt more children or something?” He wonders why she fainted this time.

“Something.” Clarke replies. She holds the cub out in front of her. “This is Bubbles, the pet you need to take care of.”

Kane’s eyes widen. “You brought a lion!? Here!?” He wildly shakes his head. “People are not allowed to keep a lion as a pet.”

“Well then you better not tell anyone.” Lexa replies dryly.

Clarke hands the cub to Summer and Clay.

Lexa holds one finger out to Kane as a warning. “When we come back, we expect our children and Bubbles to be okay.”

“Yeah, Bubbles is harmless.” Clarke adds.

Summer is giggling while she is trying to cuddle Bubbles.

Kane sighs deeply. “Okay, Abby and I will take care of the children and Bubbles.”

“Tell Abby to look out for my father at the hospital. Jake might bring him in, he has a broken leg.”

Kane looks at Lexa. “What happened to Gustus?”

“He uh… fell.” Lexa replies, not wanting to share the truth.

Now is not the time to talk about her father’s ship being wrecked, and how that caused her father to break his leg, Jake to have a concussion and how they lost six children, which they eventually got back. They don’t have time to have all that small talk. It has been twenty years since half of the Trikru has been captured by Dante and his people. If any of them are still alive, they will be in dire need of help. 

Clarke and Lexa give Clay and Summer one last hug. They know that if they don’t make it, someone else of their people will collect the twins and if none of their people make it, the twins will be growing up with Abby and Kane, even though Abby and Kane don’t know that.

“Wait!” Abby opens her eyes and scrambles back up on her feet. “You can’t leave that lion with us!”

Clarke sighs. “His name is Bubbles and he’s the children’s pet. He’s as harmless as a kitten.”

Abby crosses her arms. “Are his teeth harmless like a kitten too?” She’s not pleased about this. “You should have told me the truth when you radioed me.”

“I know, mom. It’s not a big deal, okay?”

“This is not a big deal?” Abby looks shocked. “You are asking me to keep a lion in my house!”

Lexa holds her hands up. “Please calm down, Abby.”

“It’s illegal for me to keep a lion in my house! If this gets out… they would take him to the zoo or something!”

Lexa shakes her head. “If you keep shouting like this, it would not surprise me if your neighbors hear you. You do not wish for your neighbors to know that you have a lion, do you?”

“No of course not, I don’t want them to know.”

Clarke points at Summer and Clay. “Look how much they like Bubbles. He’s like a stuffed animal, the only difference is that he’s alive and he needs to eat and drink… and he makes tiny growling noises, and he’s a bit playful…”

Abby rolls her eyes and mutters something under her breath. “I hope you will be back soon to collect Bubbles. I don’t know what on earth you two are up to, but I can imagine walking around with a lion would not be ideal. What I don’t understand is why you haven’t left him on the island with the rest of your people.”

Clarke bites her lip. She can’t tell her mother that the island is empty for now. She can’t tell her that all the youngest children are in Gustus’ house, while every other drifter is off to war, including children. She has to come up with an excuse. Her wife beats her to it.

“Summer and Clay would miss Bubbles terribly.” Lexa lies.

Clay looks at his grandmother. “Please.” A pout appears on his face.

Clarke and Lexa love their children.

“Okay, Bubbles can stay.” Abby replies. “I hope this won’t take too long. Having my grandchildren here is something I like. Having a lion here is something I don’t like.”

Clarke hugs her mother one last time before leaving. It is possible that this will be the last time she has seen her mother and her youngest twins.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa holds her wife’s hand on their way back to the beach, where their people and their allies are waiting.

They will have to look as casual as possible while going into civilization. The army Lexa has gathered from her own people and from her allies counts roughly 500 people. If they all walk the streets together, they will stand out a lot.

Lexa clears her throat. “Listen up everyone. We cannot march together like this!” Her voice is loud and strong. “We have to blend in. Split up in groups of five to ten people!”

Clarke and Lexa watch as they split into smaller groups, while looking confused.

“Each group will follow a few steps behind another group. Make it look as if we do not know each other.” Lexa instructs. “If you act neutral, people here at civilization will not know that we are not from around here.” She looks at their bare feet. Okay, people might know they are not from around here. “To anyone who is wearing a cape, take it off. Wear shirts, sweaters, shorts and pants. Hide your weapons under your clothes!”

Lexa tucks her daggers away underneath her clothes. She watches as the others all do the same.

“Each group will carry one suitcase filled with our swords and other things we will need!”

Lexa holds her hands up. “Octavia, Emily and the twins, you’re in my group.” She waits for them to join her and her wife. “We will lead along with Mordecai. The other groups will walk behind us. Leave a few steps in between each group!”

Mordecai shows up next to Lexa with a map.

Lexa looks at the map. “How far is it to get to that area?” She points at the circled area.

Mordecai shakes his head. “It could take a few hours, perhaps more.”

Lexa turns the map in different directions in her hands. “How do we follow this thing?”

“I have an idea.” Emily says. She holds her hand out for the map. “Trust me.”

Lexa gives Emily the map and watches her. She sees Emily running of towards a stranger. She hurries after Emily with her group.

Emily pokes the stranger. “Excuse me sir, my parents and I are trying to get somewhere and we don’t know the way. Can you help us?”

The man takes the map from Emily to have a look at it.

Emily turns around and looks at Lexa and Mordecai. “Hi mom and dad, I was asking this man here if he knows the way.”

Lexa and Mordecai look at each other with wide eyes. They’re not Emily’s parents.

“If you take a few busses you could get there.” The stranger says. “There is also a sandy road you can follow, but it is not that great, unless you have a jeep or a tank and it takes many hours down that sandy road. You won’t see any signs of life around that road. Wouldn’t want to end up there without gas.” He points his finger in the middle of the circled area. “Don’t go there, that is restricted area.”

Emily takes the map back. “Thank you, sir. We have a jeep.” She doesn’t know what a jeep is or a tank. “Can you tell us where we can find that sandy road?”

The stranger explains how they can get there. Luckily it doesn’t appear to be far away. He warns them not to trespass on the area of the army. The stranger tells Lexa and Mordecai that they have a very polite daughter, before he walks away.

Lexa looks at Emily and crosses her arms.

Emily shrugs. “I was trying to be casual and blend in. Now we can go to that sandy road where our army can march together, without having to worry that strangers are looking at us.”

Clarke chuckles lightly and looks at her wife. “Ready to pass up your title yet?”

Lexa gives her wife a playful push.

It doesn’t take long for Lexa and the others to find that sandy road. Now they will be walking for hours before they get to their enemies.

 

* * *

 

 

Skye is letting Minty hop on her back. She knows her girlfriend is tired. She is getting tired too, but she can still go on. She is so close to being acknowledged as a warrior, along with her twin. That’s something she doesn’t want to mess up.

Monty and Miller weren’t happy about Lexa deciding that children age ten and up have to go to war with them. Their daughter is so little. Minty is fragile.

Aden and Ellis aren’t too worried about their triplets, who are ten as well. They both know they need their army to be as big as possible. They are drifters, drifters are strong.

Lily is holding a bottle of water out in front of her sister. She carefully helps Skye to drink from it, before taking a gulp from it herself.

Aqua is holding hands with Hunter. This is not the first time she is going to war. Although the first time it wasn’t really planned. She was very little when she snuck away to follow her mothers to Mountain Island, where Cage punched her. This is the first time she will be fighting against an enemy.

The drifters and their allies appreciate the sandy road more than the hard roads in civilization. It is better for their feet.

The allies look curiously at the children who are marching with them. Most of them are surprised that children will be fighting with them. The children in this army are all drifters, aside from a few exceptions, such as Hunter who is marching with them too.

Raven is walking next to Atom and Monty. They’re tinkering with walkies and other pieces of technology. They are also making a few bombs, even though Lexa doesn’t know about that yet.

They are marching on this sandy road towards the enemy, not knowing yet how many lives they are about to lose, not knowing how many casualties there will be. They don’t know they are about to face a real highly trained army in an area called area thirteen, an army led by Dante, guarding a secret facility where illegal experiments take place.

 

* * *

 

 

“Raven, what do you have?” Lexa asks curiously. “I know you have been tinkering with things.”

Raven sips from her bottle of water and wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. “Well, I took as much stuff with me as I could from our home. We got a few suitcases filled with tech. Together with Atom and Monty I worked on some new stuff and improved some of the stuff I already had. I’ve got a whole bunch of walkies. There are some bombs too, cuz we might need those. There are special goggles that allow you to see at night. I created some extra toys, like slingshots, but they’re not regular slingshots, ah you’ll see once we use them. I’ve got a handful of tiny earpieces, if you place them in your ear, you can communicate with anyone else who has one in their ear. There are some laser pens, but you have to be careful with those, once you click ‘em you can point them at something and it will create a hole. You can use them to make an opening through metal and stuff like that.”

Lexa is impressed. “That sounds good, Raven.”

Raven holds one hand up. “Wait, I’m not done yet. I worked on some new weapons as well.” She digs into a bag and holds something in her hand. It looks like some sort of star, but the points are all blades. “This fun toy here is really sharp. You have to be careful when you hold it. It can be used to aim it at our enemies.” She carefully puts it back and reaches for something else.

Lexa is surprised when she sees Raven reaching for a peach of wood with sharp points sticking from it.

“Okay so.” Raven swings it around a bit, making sure not to hit anyone. “This is a baseball bat with spikes in it. If you swing it hard at an enemy, it’ll do quite some damage. I’ve got a few of these.”

“I can see why you have always spent so much time in your work hut.”

Raven laughs. “Yeah well, I knew we’d be able to use it someday.” She points at some of their allies. “Oh and get this, I talked with some of those when I was on a ship with them on our way here. They got a bunch of weapons too. They’ve got things like arrows and bows.”

Lexa nods. “Make sure each of our people and each of our allies has one of your special weapons.”

“I’m on it, commander.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa holds her hand out to Luna. “It appears we are cousins, huh?” She tries to sound casual or something. It is weird being in contact with family that she didn’t know is family until recently.

“Yes, it appears that we are. I was shocked to hear that Aden is my brother, and that I have two cousins.”

“It is quite surprising. Aden has been with the drifters for twenty years. During all those years, I have seen him as my brother. Now I know that he is my cousin. I am happy to be related to him, either way. Of course it is nice to be related to you as well.”

“Do you think anyone of the Trikru that Dante captured is still alive, Lexa?”

“I am not sure. I hope some are still alive, but I know it might be foolish to hold such hope at all.”

Luna shakes her head. “Hope is never foolish. It gives us strength, it gives us courage. Even if Dante has killed them all by now, it will be worth it to make him fall down. I wish everyone could live peacefully. Unfortunately, enemies are everywhere.”

“You have had a rough life.”

“I had. Nia was quite ruthless. As her slave, life was not easy. As I got older, I met Ontari. She showed me kindness, a connection grew between us. When Nia found out, she kept me as a prisoner so she could order Ontari to do awful things. If Ontari disobeyed, Nia threatened my life.”

Lexa stops walking for a moment to hug Luna.

Luna smiles when Lexa hugs her. “This feels good. It’s nice to have a family. I grew up thinking I didn’t have anyone at all.”

“You have a family. You have Aden, you have Anya and you have me.” Lexa assures her. “If Dante still has people from the Trikru captured, we will get them out. You will have your people back.”

“Lexa, they are your people too. I know you are the commander of the drifters, but originally you are a part of the Trikru.”

“You say Ontari was kind to you. You broke up with her when she told you about your people.”

Luna bites her lip. “Yes, I broke up with her. I realized she had been lying to me for so long. When she told me the truth, she didn’t tell me Aden is my brother, which only proves that it was right for me to break up with her. It was a shock to hear that news recently, and to be gathered for a war at the same time.”

Lexa looks at Luna. “You lived peacefully with the Boat People for the last few years. Why are you marching with us to war?” She doesn’t mind it that Luna is marching with all of them, but it makes her curious.

“Because you are my family. Anya is my family. Aden is my family and my people have been captured by Dante.”

Lexa nods in understanding.

 

* * *

 

 

“Lexa, the children look really tired.” Clarke’s voice sounds sad. “We have been walking for a long time now. Even I have to admit a break would be nice.”

Lexa is walking at the front with her wife and a few others. She stops for a brief moment to turn around and to look at her people and her allies. It doesn’t help that it is a very hot day. She can see the exhaustion written on the children’s faces.

Lexa holds her hands up and they all stop walking. “Short break, take your time to eat and drink something, we will be walking again soon!”

They all sit down on the sandy road. They’re in the middle of nowhere.

Most of the children groan when Lexa commands them all to stand up again and to keep walking.

“Lexa, please, the children are exhausted.” Clarke whines.

Lexa keeps walking while holding one hand up to speak. “Warriors, carry the children on your backs!” Warriors have to be strong they will have to suck it up.

The other adults watch as the warriors allow the children to hop on their backs.

Skye and Lily stubbornly continue to walk, taking turns carrying Minty.

Kai lets one of the children hop onto his back, while Emily is walking beside him.

Emily was willing to carry a child too, because she is a warrior, but Lexa had told her no.

Lexa knows Emily is strong, but Emily is only thirteen. She can see Emily is tired too, and she doesn’t want to exhaust her further.

Lexa notices that some adults look more scared than some of the children. Maya is one of those people who look scared. Of course, Maya never fought, she is a healer, but she is an adult and Lexa wants all the adults to join.

Roan and Ontari have been mostly silent. They know they are on edge with the drifters and the people from the Rock Line.

 

* * *

 

 

 

When the night falls, they haven’t arrived yet.

Lexa who is exhausted just like everyone else, finally allows them to stop walking. “We shall rest here!” She orders several warriors to keep watch and to switch keeping watch.

Due to their exhaustion, the sandy road feels amazing to sleep on.

Clarke cuddles up close to her wife. “Do you think we’ll get there tomorrow?”

“I hope so.”

“Everyone is tired. We all need to rest well.”

Lexa cups her wife’s cheeks and kisses her. “I love you, Clarke.” She wants to keep telling Clarke how much she loves her. When they go to war, it might not end well. “If something happens, never forget that.”

Clarke squeezes her wife’s hand. “I love you too, Lexa.” She stares deeply into Lexa’s green eyes. “If something happens to either one of us, or to the both of us, I will find you in the next.”

Lexa pulls her wife closer. “I will find you, always.” She wants everything to work out. If it doesn’t, she will find Clarke again.

Clarke tries to sleep. She is exhausted that’s for sure, but she knows that her wife isn’t sleeping. She knows Lexa is keeping watch.

Emily and Octavia shuffle closer towards Lexa to keep watch with her. They keep their voices slightly lower than a whisper, to make sure they don’t wake anyone up.

“We should get there tomorrow.” Octavia whispers. “We walked all day. Raven had a look at that map earlier and according to her we should be getting close.”

“Tomorrow when everyone wakes up, we will prepare ourselves with our weapons.” Lexa whispers back. “For now, you should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a rough day.”

Octavia nods and pulls Emily into her arms. She strokes her daughter’s hair and kisses her cheek. In this moment, she doesn’t know yet how that war will go. She doesn’t know how many lives will be lost.

Lexa keeps watch throughout the night. She is the commander. She is strong. She will rest when the war is over.

Through the silent night with a soft and gentle breeze blowing, none of them know how many lives they are about to lose. None of them knows how many people they will be mourning. For the first time, they are underestimating their enemies, but they don’t know. They think Dante and his people will be similar to Cage and the other Mountain Men, which the drifters defeated. Now that they have such a huge army, made of the drifters and their allies, they think this should not be too difficult.

They know it won’t be a walk in the park. They’re not all that ignorant. What they don’t know is that is about to be a walk through hell. They don’t know that their enemies are about to show them that nightmares are quite the picnic compared to what is about to happen.

The drifters don’t know that many of the children are about to become a part of the ones who will die. Even the children’s fierce parents and their blinding rage won’t help to save all the children. They don’t know that yet, but they are about to find out soon. If the drifters thought the children fought brutally in the conclave, they will be in for quite the unpleasant surprise. The conclave can't hold a candle to what they are about to experience. 

The pirates, Nia, Pike, Jrot, Cage and Alie were nothing but small appetizers. With Dante, dinner is about to be served.

 

* * *

 

 

Abby is walking around in the hospital with her clipboard when a colleague shows up next to her. She has left Summer and Clay at her house with Kane. It has been pleasant to have Summer and Clay around. They are such little darlings. They have been with her for a week now. She wonders when Clarke and Lexa will return, they have been very mysterious about why they were dropping the young twins off at her place.

“Abby, a new patient has been brought in. We need your immediate assistance.”

Abby puts her clipboard aside and follows her colleague. “Which information do you have?”

“The patient appears to be a child, a young girl, badly wounded. We assume there might be internal bleeding, but we are not sure. I have to warn you, this looks like a very brutal case. It looks like that child literally went through hell, more than once. I’m not sure how she is still breathing.”

Abby takes all the information in, like she always does when a new patient arrives. She follows her colleague into a room to operate directly. She is about to hand her cup of coffee to her colleague so she can pay attention to the young patient. When she sees the patient on the operating table, her coffee drops on the floor and splatters everywhere.

Abby’s colleague is worried. “Abby? Abby, are you alright? Abby! You look like you have seen a ghost.”

Tears flow down Abby’s cheeks. She can’t stop crying. She rushes to the operating table towards the child who doesn’t open her eyes and who is wounded so severely it makes her cringe.

Abby takes the girl’s hand. “Oh my god, this must be a nightmare, god no. Please, no.”

Her colleague tries to reach her. “Abby, what is wrong? Do you know this girl?”

Abby cries more. “Yes, this is… this is Lily, my granddaughter.”

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would anyone be really upset or mad or something if a bunch of them die...? I mean, not that I think anyone would enjoy it. 
> 
> There will be people dying. Adults and children. The tiny families are not really going to stay intact...  
> So far in my story I kept many people alive, I mean there is Tris, Artigas, Charlotte, Maya, Atom ... you get the picture.   
> That's about to change. 
> 
> Clarke and Lexa are going to war with five of their children: Aqua, Blue, River, Skye and Lily. The question is...how many will they have left after the war? 
> 
> The next chapter will jump back to Lexa's army and to what happens in that week.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ****WARNING: This chapter is violent. Blood is mentioned a lot, many people die*****
> 
> Clexa is going to feel a lot of pain. Read with caution.

The sun is rising. Lexa hasn’t slept at all. She has spent all night keeping watch. Luckily nothing happened during the night. There have been no signs of anyone else.

Lexa stands up. “Everyone, rise now!” She commands. She watches as they all scramble up to their feet.

Clarke rubs her eyes, still a bit sleepy. “You didn’t sleep at all, did you?”

“I will sleep when the war is over.” Or when she’s dead, she thinks, but she doesn’t say that part out loud. “Someone had to keep watch.”

“There were already people keeping watch, and they were taking turns. You shouldn’t have stayed up all night.”

“It is fine, Clarke.” Lexa kisses her wife’s forehead. “No need to worry your pretty little head.”

Clarke bushes slightly. “You’re only trying to distract me.” She places her hands behind her wife’s neck and kisses her. “You’re sweet, but you should have slept. Yesterday we spent all day walking around and we have to walk a lot today too.”

“This is an excellent training for me, it will keep me fit.”

“You’re already fit you dork.” Clarke chuckles and gives her wife a gentle push. “You’re pushing your limits too hard.”

Lexa points at Emily who looks surprisingly chipper. “Emily is not complaining. Why would you expect me to complain?”

“Come on Lex, you must be really tired.”

Lexa shakes her head. “Me? Tired? No.” She does feel tired, but she won’t admit that. “Watch.”

Clarke laughs as her wife lifts her legs up high and marches in the silliest way possible. “Affirmative, you are a dork.”

Lexa stops and turns to look at her wife. “What you are trying to say is that I am your dork.”

Clarke leans in to kiss her wife’s cheek. “Yes, you are my dork.”

“You two sicken me.” Raven groans. “If you’re gonna make out and stuff, can’t you move to walk in the back rather than in front of us all?”

Octavia laughs. “Someone ain’t getting any.”

“Oh my god, O!” Raven gasps. “I can’t believe you said that.”

Anya slings her arm around her wife’s shoulder. “Raven is getting enough.”

“True that. I can’t complain.”

Lexa glares at them. “I do not wish to hear those things.”

Raven walks up to Lexa and leans on her shoulder. “So did I tell you about that time when…”

Clarke watches amused as Raven is sharing explicit things with Lexa, while Lexa is cringing. She knows that Raven teases Lexa on purpose, as always. Lexa is not as expressive as Raven is.

“Does Raven always give Lexa such a hard time?” Luna asks Clarke.

Clarke nods. “Oh yeah, definitely. It’s common.”

Luna chuckles lightly. “Poor Lexa.”

“Hmmph.” Octavia looks down at the sand while walking.

Clarke nudges Octavia with her elbow. “What’s up, O?”

“I was just thinking. Since Luna is Lexa’s and Anya’s cousin and Gustus is not Lexa’s and Anya’s father… It means that Lincoln is not related to Lexa and Anya.”

“Hmm.” Clarke licks her lips while she thinks. “That means Kai and Emily are not second cousins.”

Octavia nods. “Yeah that’s true. I suppose that’s sort of good news.”

“But you’re not happy about it.”

“I just like to be related to you all, you know?”

“I understand that, but you’ll always be related to us. You’re like a part of your family, O. You’ve always been like a sister to me. I don’t care what blood says, if it’s up to me, I say you’re related to me.”

Octavia smiles and feels better now. “Thanks Clarke, that means a lot, seriously.”

“Mom, Skye emptied her water bottle above my head.” Lily complains.

Clarke looks at the twins. “And why did Skye do that?”

“Lily told me it was too warm.” Skye replies. “So I helped her and poured some water over her head. She has to admit it’s refreshing.”

Lily picks up the empty water bottle and tosses it at Skye’s head.

“Hey!” Skye rubs her head. “I was helping you cool down.”

Lily points at her sister’s head. “Does it hurt there?” She sees her twin nod and kisses her forehead. “There all better.”

“Awe thanks, Lily.” Skye smiles at her twin. “You’re my favorite sister.”

“I’m your twin of course I’m your favorite.”

Emily interrupts the twins’ conversation. “We should arrive soon to fight our enemies. Are you both ready?” She sees them nod. “Okay good, I can’t have any of you two dying, I need you both as my right hands. It would be a shame to lose you.”

Skye wraps her arms tightly around Lily. “Nothing can come between us. We’re going to destroy that enemy and we’ll be home before we know it.”

Lily takes her sister’s hand. “Together, Skye.”

“Together.”

 

* * *

 

 

The night is about to fall when the drifters and their allies arrive.

Lexa orders them with a hushed tone to lay low. She peers out over the area. She can see strangers with weapons. Their clothes look green-brownish. They are wearing something on their heads. Their shoes look strange. It reminds her of boots she has seen a few times, but their shoes are different than that. There are quite a bunch of those armed strangers spread over the area, as far as she can see. If she had to count them, she would guess about fifty of them.

That doesn’t seem too bad. Lexa has an army of five-hundred people. Behind the armed strangers there is a huge strange looking building. It’s uncertain how many strangers there are in the building.

Lexa doesn’t even know what the Trikru looks like. She couldn’t be standing in front of one and have no clue. Luckily Mordecai and his people from the Rock Line will recognize anyone from the Trikru, even though it has been twenty years.

Emily sneaks up to Lexa. “Are we going to split in groups to attack?”

Lexa nods. “Yes, we are going to split our army up in groups to attack from all sides.”

Raven moves closer to Lexa when she notices that Lexa is motioning her to come closer.

“Raven, I need you to grab those ear pieces. We are going to try to sneak a small group inside that building.” Lexa instructs.

“Got it commander.” Raven moves to grab the earpieces. She holds them out in her hand. “So, who is the group that will be sent in?”

Lexa takes an earpiece and puts it in her ear, so she will be able to communicate with those who will be going inside. She takes a deep breath. “A small group of children will be sent in.”

The drifters and their allies try to get as close to Lexa as possible so Lexa can give orders without raising her voice.

“My elite team will be attacking from the front to create a distraction.” Lexa explains. She selects several more warriors to attack the front. “Meanwhile Mordecai and a handful of his warriors will sneak up from the sides to sneak a group of children in. You might have to fight while you try to sneak the children in.”

“Understood.” Mordecai replies. “Which children will we be sneaking inside?”

Lexa looks around at the children. “Minty, Skye, Lily and River. Emily will go with them to lead them once they are inside.” She reaches for a few earpieces and puts them in the children’s ear. “When any of you talk, I will hear you.”

The army gets split up into several groups, to surround the enemies from all sides.

After walking for two days, they are all a bit tired. Now seems like a good time to attack, because the night is falling, which makes it easier to sneak up on their enemies.

 

* * *

 

 

Mordecai and a few of his warriors sneak up to the building from the side, to get Emily, River, Skye, Lily and Minty inside.

It doesn’t go smoothly. The enemies attack them.

Mordecai and his warriors grab their swords and slice through them.

Emily guides her little group to the side of the building. She finds something they can crawl in. It’s small, but they can fit in it.

Lexa attacks from the front with a big part of her army. She is holding two swords, ready to kill their enemies.

The enemies grab their guns and shoot around.

Lexa hears several of her people and her allies scream as they are getting shot. “Frag em op! ( _Kill them_ ).” She commands with a fierce tone in her voice.

The sand is quickly colored red from all the bloodshed.

Lexa is losing a part of her army. Enemies are falling too.

Aden is fighting with his wife and their triplets next to him. He manages to stab a few enemies. Throats are being slit, chests are being pierced. He hears his wife cry out when Buck gets shot, followed quickly by Ace being shot.

Ellis looks down at Buck and at Ace with teary eyes. There is so much blood, it’s pooling around her sons. She knows the shots killed them instantly.

Eva cries for her brothers.

Aden roars from anger and attacks the enemies faster and stronger. It hurts so much that he lost his two sons. His daughter lost her brothers. He had triplets, and now he only has one child left. The triplets should not have been here, but they are ten years old, so they had to go to war.

Kai puts a dagger between his teeth and lurches forward with his sword, fearless as always. He would look death in the eye and laugh at it. He leaps from one enemy to another, killing them ruthlessly. He is seeing children falling down and it makes him rage. He is furious when Buck and Ace fall down, shot, pooling in their own blood. He sees an enemy aiming at Aqua. Before the enemy can make the shot, he makes the enemy fall down. He grabs the enemy’s head and smashes his skull until there is blood everywhere.

Anya is trying to keep up with Kai who went on his own murderous rampage. She gets shot in her arm. She ignores the pain and keeps moving forward.

Raven throws a bomb in the direction of the big steel doors of the building. She manages to blow a big hole in it, which will allow them all entrance.

Hunter is fighting next to Aqua, with his parents.

Octavia is close to Lincoln, fighting side by side. She is trying to move closer to the front with Lexa and Clarke.

Lexa swings her swords around, beheading enemies with one swift move.

Clarke is holding a baseball bat with spikes in it. She uses it to crush the skulls from their enemies. She feels their blood splattering all over her clothes. Enemies are kicking her and punching her.

 

* * *

 

 

Dante is holding Blue at gunpoint. “To the leader of this army, if you retreat your army right now, I promise I won’t shoot him. If you retreat, I will let him go and you can all go.” He has seen that the children are the weakness of this army.

Lexa thinks about Dante’s offer. If she retreats her army, the Trikru will still be captured. If she accepts Dante’s offer, it would mean she would have to leave the children who are inside. If she doesn’t accept his offer, Blue will be killed right now. Blue is her oldest son. She cannot let Dante murder her child, but she cannot retreat either. Three of her children are still inside.

Blue knows the dilemma his mother must be going through. He knows his mother wants to save him, but that at the same time she can’t leave River, Skye and Lily behind in that building. His mother’s army should not surrender. They are about to win. Lives have been lost already, and he knows more will be lost.

“I need an answer right now!” Dante shouts. He holds his gun pressed against Blue’s head.

Lexa feels all sorts of emotions rushing through her at once, mostly despair. She wants to save her son, she really does, but she knows she can’t retreat. They already lost too many lives to give up now. Victory stands on the back of sacrifice, but how far can a sacrifice go? Haven’t they lost enough lives already?

Blue shouts out to his mothers. “It’s okay. I promise it is okay. I love you all so much. Mom, I love you. Mam, I love you too. Tell my brothers and sisters that I love them and that I’m sorry. Whatever you do mama, never back down. Do not retreat! Keep fighting, always. Stay strong! May we meet again.”

Dante laughs and pulls the trigger, not even waiting for the leader of the army to respond. He could already hear they would ignore his offer.

“NOOOOO!!” Clarke cries out loudly. “MY SON, MY BABY BOY.”

Lexa catches her wife before she collapses. Clarke is crying out for their son. She struggles to hold her wife. She knows if Clarke rushes up to their enemies in a blind rage, she will be killed directly. She clenches her jaw. Dante has made her really angry right now. Blue has always been such a sweet boy, always protecting others. Now Blue is dead, coldly murdered by Dante who shot him. Blue was fifteen, too young to die. Sending children to war is backfiring fast.

Clarke is crushed. It’s like a knife went directly through her heart. She swears she will avenge her son. She will make Dante pay. Blue was such a sweet boy, she loved her son dearly. She knew this war could get him wounded, but she did not think he would get killed. When they fought against other enemies, they never died. At the most they got wounded. Now, people are dropping down fast.

Lexa growls loudly. “Kom wor!! ( _To war_ ).” She lifts her sword up in the air.

Raven throws grenades at the strangers, blowing up a whole bunch of them up.

Lexa’s army pushes their way to the front of the facility, where Dante has rushed into, to hide like a coward. She takes her wife’s hand and lifts their hands up in the air. “Dante is ours!!” Together with Clarke, she will make Dante pay.

 

* * *

 

 

Emily, Skye, Lily, River and Minty crawl through an air ventilating system. The tube they are going through feels claustrophobic. They know they cannot stay in it for long if they want to breathe properly.

River finds an opening above a room where people are locked up in cages. He nudges Emily.

Emily nods. They can go through it.

It’s a bit clumsy for them to get through that opening. They have to jump down.

River and Emily jump down first. Their landing is rough. The floor in this building is as hard as rocks.

River manages to catch Minty in his arms.

The twins jump down together.

“Ow, this hurts.” Lily groans and holds her hands to her right foot.

Skye helps her twin up and notices that her sister struggles to walk.

“I think my right foot is hurt from the rough landing.” Lily whispers.

Emily walks up to the cages. “Who are you people?”

One of them looks at her. “We are Trikru.”

“Why are they keeping you here?”

“They say Trikru have something special in their blood. They have been draining our blood in little bits, each time only leaving enough to keep us alive. There have been experiments with viruses. They have been using us as lab rats.”

Emily looks around the room. “River, Skye, Lily, Minty, look around. We have to find something to break them out.”

“Who are you, goufas?”

“We are drifters. Aden and Luna are here too, kom Trikru.”

River finds something to pick the locks from the cages.

The Trikru look a bit pale when they crawl out of the cages they had been locked up in.

The children lead the Trikru out of the room, not sure where to go. They walk directly into a few enemies. It becomes painfully clear that the building is swarmed with enemies.

Emily, River, Skye, Lily and Minty put up a fight. They pull their weapons out and fight the enemies.

The Trikru tries their best to help the children.

Skye and Lily jump enemies together and slit their throats.

Lily feels her world spinning when she sees one of the enemies shooting her sister.

Skye holds her hand to her wounded arm where the bullet went through. Another bullet passes through her body.

Lily snaps in a blind raging fury and attacks enemies without thinking. Seeing her sister get hurt made her loose her mind. She forgets all about her hurt right foot. While she’s killing enemies, she feels wounds are being made onto her own body. She feels a sharp pain in her side. Blood is seeping from her body. She can taste blood in her mouth before her world goes black. The last thing she hears is Skye’s terrifying scream, quickly followed by River's scream. 

River clutches his hand to his chest, where blood is seeping through his shirt fast. He feels his life leaving his body. He was trying to protect his sisters. Multiple bullets hit him. His eyes close before he has a chance to tell his sisters that he loves them, and that he loves the rest of his family. Thanks to his mama who helped him with all his fears years ago, he is not afraid. His hand is clasped around the pendant around his neck. He remembers the words his mama told him the day she hung that pendant around his neck. His mama told him the pendant would protect him, that it would give him strength and that it would take his fears away. His mama told him that day ' _may you never be afraid_.' As his world turns black, he is not afraid. All he can think is ' _may we meet again_.'

 

* * *

 

 

Hunter is struggling to keep Aqua safe. Many people from the army of the drifters and the allies have fallen. It wouldn’t surprise him if by now only 200 of the 500 would still be standing.

Aqua is already bleeding, but she keeps fighting. With her dagger she cuts enemies and stabs their necks.

Roan and Ontari are fighting close to Hunter and Aqua.

Ontari sees that an enemy is about to shoot at Hunter and Aqua. She rushes to them to push them out of the way. Multiple bullets hit her in her chest. She gurgles her own blood and drops dead in front of Roan’s feet.

Roan attacks the shooter by slicing his chest open. He lost Ontari. His wife is dead, gone.

Lexa fights her way inside the building. Clarke, Octavia, Lincoln, Anya, Raven and Luna are right behind her, fighting their way in too.

Clarke gasps when one of the enemies pushes a blade into Lexa’s shoulder.

The enemy is about to stab Lexa again when Kai hops on top of him and slices his throat open from ear to ear.

From the corner of her eye, Lexa sees Charlotte, Artigas, Fox, Maya and Jasper being killed.

Tris is fighting next to Bellamy and Echo. She is trying to protect Echo, because Echo is a healer. They already lost Maya, one of their other healers.

Roan tries to protect Hunter and Aqua, while half of his warriors are being slaughtered.

Octavia is fighting with three enemies. Bellamy runs up to her to help her, it is the last thing he ever does.

Octavia screams when Bellamy drops dead. This is awful. Her brother has a daughter and a wife, and now he is dead.

Lincoln hurries to help his wife. He punches one of the enemies and break the enemies’ nose.

Lexa and Clarke run into Emily.

Emily points at the people behind her. “This is the Trikru!”

Clarke finds Lily on the floor and panics when she sees all the blood, and all the wounds. She drops down on her knees. “No, Lily, no. Please no.” She takes her daughters hand. “She’s still breathing!”

Lexa scoops Lily up in her arms. She feels weak in her knees. They already lost Blue and Lily is like a limp doll in her arms. She looks around to see where Skye is, she knows the twins never ever split up.

Clarke cries when she finds Skye in a pool of blood.

Kai rushes into Emily’s arms and kisses her. He’s so happy to see her alive. He breaks their kiss fast to fight more enemies.

Emily looks regretfully at Lexa. “I’m so, so sorry. I tried… and I couldn’t, I couldn’t save them all.”

Lexa sees Minty standing behind Emily’s legs, hiding. Her heart sinks when she finds River’s lifeless body. How many more children does she have to lose?

Roan is screaming and shouting. “We have to end them all now!! Our army is slinking!”

Lexa spins around. Behind her she sees that outside the building, the sand is decorated with blood and bodies. She pushes weapons into the Trikru’s hands so they can help to fight.

Tris flings her dagger at one of the enemies who was about to shoot Anya. She likes Anya, she has been keeping her eye on Anya and is making sure nobody hits her.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa’s army has gotten a lot smaller. She has lost more than half of her army, but they are winning.

Octavia finds Dante and drags him towards Lexa and Clarke by his collar.

Clarke grabs her blade and slices it slowly across his cheeks. “You have been killing my children!!” She feels so much rage coursing through her body, and so much pain.

Lexa grabs her dagger and cuts Dante’s fingers off one by one.

“Argh, just kill me!” Dante shouts.

“You don’t deserve any mercy!” Clarke snarls at him. “You will die slowly!”

Lexa balls her fist and breaks Dante’s nose.

Clarke lets go off her white rage. She launches at Dante and lands punch after punch until her knuckles are bleeding. She smashes his head against to concrete floor until his skull splatters open. She gets up and kicks his body.

Lexa has to pry her away off of Dante who is now already dead. She can see the pain her wife is feeling. Clarke keeps punching and kicking Dante’s dead body while screaming bloody murder for the children they have lost.

When all the enemies are defeated, Raven installs bombs everywhere to blow the whole place up.

Clarke is crying while cradling her children’s lifeless bodies.

Lexa notices that the people she has left and the allies she has left are all wounded, some more severe than others. A few are on the edge of dying. “Clarke please, we need to take the wounded to the hospital.”

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa, her people, her allies and the Trikru are all exhausted. Lexa knows that walking back will take two days, but they cannot stop to rest. They need to reach a hospital fast.

Everyone has lost someone. They lost so many children.

Aden and Ellis lost two children. From their triplets, only Eva is still alive.

Echo has lost Bellamy. Her husband, father to her daughter.

The drifters lost far too many people.

Monty is crying. He is happy Miller and Minty are still alive, but Jasper is dead. Jasper was Monty’s best friend.

Roan has lost Ontari and nearly all of his warriors dead too.

Clarke is crying while they are walking. She is holding Skye in her arms.

Lexa is walking next to her wife with Lily in her arms. She hopes she can get Lily to the hospital on time, and that she can be saved.

Octavia and Lincoln are carrying River and Blue.

Other warriors are carrying other children that have died, so they can burn their bodies at sea.

When it comes to the dead adults, they have to be selective who they take with them to burn. It’s painful to leave bodies behind, but they lost more people than they have left.

While they walk, Lexa asks herself if this had all been worth it. The enemy is down, but to what cost? The sacrifice has been too big.

Roughly 300 people of their 500 have died.

About a hundred of the ones who are left are quite badly wounded.

A few are still fighting for their lives.

 

* * *

 

 

Abby forgets how to breathe. This can’t be happening. How did Lily end up here? What happened to Lily? Isn’t Lily supposed to be on the island with the drifters? There is something Clarke hasn’t been telling her. That’s painfully clear.

“Abby, if this is too much for you, another doctor can take over.”

Abby looks at her colleague. Her cheeks are red from crying. “Are there others…? Who brought her in?”

Abby’s colleague calls for another doctor, before leading Abby out of that room.

Abby is brought to the emergency room. Her colleague tells her on the way there that many people came to the hospital at once, and that they are all wounded. Her colleague also tells her that some need immediate medical attention, like Lily and that the rest of them all collapsed from exhaustion and dehydration when they arrived, blood and dirt caked onto their bodies.

Abby gasps when she sees all the beds. There are so many. They never have this many people in the emergency room at once, unless there has been a shooting or bombing or something else that’s major. She looks around and recognizes faces. She sees Clarke.

“Oh my god, Clarke!” Abby runs up to her daughter.

Clarke hears the sound of her mother’s voice. It had taken three days to walk to the hospital. It was a long rough walk and they didn’t stop to rest. When they arrived, they were all thirsty and at the end of their rope, so much that they collapsed. Some collapsed before making it inside the hospital. Several doctors had to run outside to pick them up.

Clarke tries to open her eyes. Her eyelids are heavy. “Mom?” Her voice croaks and her throat hurts.

Abby is crying. “Clarke, what happened? What is the meaning of all of this?”

Clarke swallows, which only hurts her throat more. “War.” That is all she can say. Tears spill from her eyes.

Abby wipes the tears from her daughter’s cheeks. “I saw Lily. A team of doctors is trying to help her right now.” She tries to take a deep breath. She saw Aqua on one of the beds. She didn’t see Hope, Blue, River and Skye. “Where are Hope, Blue, River and Skye?” She’s afraid to hear the answer.

It hurts for Clarke to talk, but not near as much as it will hurt to say those words. “Hope is at Gustus’ place, Blue is…” Her voice breaks and more tears spill.

Abby takes Clarke’s hand. “Honey, what’s the matter?”

“Blue is dead.” Clarke is a sobbing mess. “River is dead too.”

“What happened to Skye?”

“There was so much blood… everywhere, blood everywhere. I… I had Skye, in my arms, she wasn’t moving… I carried her… the doctors took her… I passed out.”

Abby takes a deep breath. This all hurts so much. She can’t imagine the pain her daughter must be feeling. She squeezes Clarke’s hand one last time, before walking away. She walks around, checking in who is currently being operated from the group that just ended up in the emergency room.

Another colleague guides Abby to other rooms. She sees a few more children who are being operated, fighting for their young lives.

Abby is being guided into another room to operate immediately, with the information the patient lost a dangerous amount of blood and is slipping into a coma.

That’s when Abby sees her tiny little body on the operating table.

Skye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clexa lost Blue and River. Skye and Lily are fighting for their lives.   
> They're all in a rough shape at the hospital.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Puzzling hearts back together.

Clarke opens her eyes. She passed out for quite a while. She turns her face and sees her wife in a bed next to hers.

“Careful, honey.” Abby whispers. “You have been dehydrated and exhausted.”

“How is my wife?”

“Lexa has been pretending to sleep, but she has been keeping an eye on you.”

Clarke looks at her wife. “Lexa?”

Lexa opens her eyes and looks back at her wife. “Yes, Clarke?”

Clarke looks at her mother. “Lily… Skye?”

Abby takes a deep breath. “Lily is placed in a room. We are waiting for her to wake up. The operation was a success, we got the bullets out. Skye… she slipped into a coma, she is connected to machines that are keeping her alive at the moment. I don’t know if Skye will wake up.”

Tears roll over Clarke’s cheeks. She already lost Blue and River. She doesn’t want to lose Skye and Lily too.

“Clarke, my team has many questions. It didn’t go unnoticed that you brought a big group in with you here at the hospital. You talked about war. Is that why my team retrieved bullets from Lily’s body?”

Clarke is crying too much to talk, to explain. Everything hurts.

Lexa gestures for Abby to approach her. She talks to Abby in a hushed tone, and tells Abby all about the war and the Trikru.

Abby is shocked to hear how many people died and how insane that idea was to go to war like that. Clarke and Lexa should have never gone to war like that, especially not with all those children. She bites her tongue. If she says what’s on her mind, she will only increase their pain. Her daughter is already suffering so much.

Abby walks out of the room to talk with her team. She is using her high position and her good connections to cover up for the drifters and their allies, to make sure nobody would go around asking them any questions. She makes a phone call to Kane to inform him about what happened, and to make sure he’ll continue to watch over Summer and Clay.

 

* * *

 

 

Lily gasps and jerks up. The moment she jerks up, she feels a sharp pain coursing through her body. She remembers the screams and all the blood. Skye, where is Skye? She wants her sister, her twin.

“Hey sweetie.” Clarke whispers. She takes her daughter’s hand. “I’m so glad to see that you are awake.”

“Mom, where is Skye? Is Skye…?” Lily can’t say the word it would hurt so much to hear it. “I heard her scream and River screamed…”

Clarke bites her lip so hard, trying not to cry, but she can’t stop her tears. She wants to be strong for Lily, but the pain is so fresh and so real. “River is… He didn’t…”

Lily cries. “Mom, no please tell me that’s not true!” She looks around the room. “Where is Aqua? Where is Blue? Where is Skye? Where is mama?”

Clarke takes a few deep breaths. “Blue didn’t… your brother didn’t make it.”

Lily cries more. She lost her two older brothers? This can’t be happening. Someone has to wake her up right now and tell her that this is just a bad dream, that it’s not real.

“Aqua is with mama, they are in Skye’s room.”

Lily desperately clings to her mother’s hand. “Please tell me Skye is okay, please.”

It breaks Clarke’s heart to hear the despair in her daughter’s voice. “Skye is in a coma, she is not waking up yet, but she is breathing.”

“I have to see her.” Lily whispers. “She’s my sister I have to be with her.”

“The doctors told me you need to rest.”

Lily moves around. “No, no, no!” She notices needles in her arm and pulls them out. “Argh.” She slips out of the bed before her mother can stop her.

“Lily, please.” Clarke sounds desperate. “You have to stay in bed. Those needles, it’s medication for your pain.”

Lily falls the moment she puts weight on her right foot, but she’s stubborn. She wants to see her sister. She crawls around on the floor, trying to get out of the room to look for Skye.

Clarke gives up. She coops Lily up from the floor and puts her in a wheelchair. “I’ll take you to your sister, please don’t move, you have to rest.”

It feels weird for Lily to sit in this thing, being rolled around by her mother. Her mother is not moving fast enough. She needs to see Skye now.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is sitting on a chair next to the bed Skye is in. She’s holding one of Skye’s hands.

Aqua is sitting on a chair in the corner of the room. She’s silently crying for the brothers she has lost. She saw Blue getting shot, her brother who always showed her kindness. She wishes she would have died instead of her brothers. She wonders what River felt when he was dying. She hopes his death was not painful, she hopes he passed fast.

Minty’s tiny posture is slouched on a chair in the corner next to Aqua. She has been watching Skye, her girlfriend. She wishes she would have done something to help Skye. When all those enemies attacked, she couldn’t fight them. If it wasn’t for Emily, she would be dead now. If she wouldn’t be so weak, Emily wouldn’t have had to use her energy on protecting her. If she would have been stronger, she could have fought for Skye.

Lexa is stroking Skye’s hand with her thumb, hoping her daughter will feel her warmth and wake up. All of this is her fault. She led them into war. Her children should have been living on their island, in peace. Of course she had to come to civilization and mess everything up. If she could go back in time, she would have never ordered for the children age ten and up to march with them. She should have known this war would cost everyone dearly. How ignorant was she to think that the worst that could happen would be some battle wounds?

When the drifters defeated Mountain Island, none of her people died. They all made it out alive. When they fought against Jrot, none of them died, same with Jaha and Nia. She underestimated Dante and that has been the biggest mistake she ever made. It hurt so much to see Blue get shot in front of her eyes. She couldn’t save him. She failed to protect her own child. She remembers the day her wife pleaded her to adopt him. She is the one who named him. It was her idea to name him Blue.

Then there’s River, she doesn’t know how he died. She hopes desperately that he wasn’t afraid. She remembers all the nights she sang to him, all the night he would cuddle up with her, so afraid of everything. After she gave him that pendant all those years ago, his fears dissolved. It hurts to know that she will never be able to hold River in her arms again. She will never hear his voice again. If she could go back in time, she would give her children a different life.

Their deaths are on her. She is the commander. It was her decision to send them all to war. It’s her fault Clarke has to feel so much pain now. She knows her wife loves all their children dearly, as does she. How is she supposed to tell Summer and Clay that their brothers are dead?

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke holds the door open from the room Skye is in. She maneuvers the wheelchair inside, so Lily can see her sister.

Lexa turns around when she hears the door opening. She sees Lily and she is so relieved to see that Lily is awake. She runs up to her to hug her.

Lily wraps her arms around her mother for a moment.

“Lily, you’re bleeding.” Lexa gasps and looks at her daughter. “Your arm is bleeding.”

“She pulled her needles out.” Clarke explains. “She wanted to see Skye.”

Lexa nods. “We should let your mother know, before she walks in Lily’s room and freaks out when she notices that her bed is empty.” She hears Abby shouting in the hall of the hospital. “Never mind.”

Lily grabs her sister’s hand and kisses her knuckles. “Hey Skye, it’s me, your sister. I really hope you will wake up. Remember what we always said? Together. Remember? You and me, together.” She wants Skye to wake up. Her sister has to wake up.

Abby walks into the room. “Lily, there you are.” She looks at Clarke who merely shrugs. “Your arm is bleeding. You shouldn’t have pulled those needles out.” She grips the wheelchair to take Lily back to her room.

Lexa stops Abby. “Leave Lily here.” She gives Abby a pleading look. “Skye is her sister, do not split them up.”

Abby sighs. “I will arrange another bed in this room, for Lily.”

Lexa nods. “Thank you, Abby.”

Lexa pulls Clarke onto her lap. She caresses her wife’s cheek gently while they watch Skye and Lily.

Lily continues to talk to Skye, hoping her sister will hear her and then wake up. With her hand she absentmindedly strokes Skye’s hair.

 

* * *

 

 

Emily is pacing around the hospital with Kai. She couldn’t protect River and the twins. She was protecting Minty, and before she knew what was happening, River’s chest was being pierced with bullets. The twins went down around the same time. It all feels like a blur. She can’t believe that Blue died too, and so many other children and adults as well.

Eva is sobbing in Emily’s arms for Ace and Buck. Emily can hardly imagine how awful that most feel for Eva, to lose her brothers like that. She can’t imagine what it is like to be a part of triplets, and to be the only one to survive. She hopes the twins don’t have to go through the same fate. Lily is recovering, but Skye is in a coma.

Kai is talking with Hope.

Kane had picked Hope up at Gustus’ house so she can visit, and he has brought Summer and Clay along as well.

Hope, Summer and Clay are not taking the news in well. Their tears flow freely when they hear that Blue and River are dead, and that Skye is in a coma.

Octavia, Lincoln, Raven, Anya, Aden and Ellis walk around to check in with other drifters and some of their allies.

Luna takes a moment to sit down with Aden and talk, along with the Trikru who had been captured by Dante for twenty years. While talking to the Trikru, Luna and Aden learn a lot about their people. The Trikru try to teach them Trigedasleng.

The Trikru tells Luna and Aden something that shocks them deeply. They quickly run through the hospital to find Lexa.

 

* * *

 

 

Lily is sitting on a chair next to the bed Skye’s in. She fell asleep. Her head is down on the bed next to her sister.

 “So many people sacrificed their lives for the victory we had.” Clarke whispers. “I wonder if any of this will ever be worth it. It doesn’t feel like it was worth it, and I doubt it will ever be worth it.”

“Victory stands on the back of sacrifice, Clarke.”

“I know that, but we lost two children. Many more children died, and lots of adults too. Is it worth it to have this victory on their backs?”

Lexa shakes her head. “I wish I could say it would be worth it, but I do not feel like it is. Even sacrificing one of our children in exchange to save lives would already be too much to sacrifice.”

“We lost so many people. More than 300 people died, a whole bunch of them were children. Those Trikru who are free now, they count up to fifty people, at most. If you would have known we would lose so many lives, would you have gone to that war?”

“If I would have known this war would cost us so dearly, I would have not marched our people and our allies into that war, Clarke.”

“He… he shot Blue, right in front of us.” There are cracks in Clarke’s voice. “We were so close and yet so far away at the same time. I wanted to save him, but I couldn’t reach him.”

“Dante was a ruthless monster. He had no heart to shoot children in cold blood like that, to shoot our child, our son.”

“River died without us, we weren’t even there…” Clarke’s breath is ragged. “He died because we sent him inside. If he would have stayed with us… We sent Skye and Lily inside too. Our own children, directly sent into a trap. If we didn’t send them in… River might still be alive, Skye might not be in a coma…”

Lexa takes her wife’s hands. “Clarke, this is my fault and I can never apologize enough. I sent River and Skye inside.”

Clarke shakes her head. “I don’t want you to blame yourself. I admit, it would be easier if I could blame someone, you know? For the biggest part I blame myself, because I should have protected them, but I don’t blame you, I don’t want to blame you. You carry the burden of being the commander. You make difficult decisions because you must.”

“Perhaps now is the time to pass my title on to the next.”

“No, Lexa, it isn’t. Emily is too young to lead. You can’t pass your title on yet.”

Lexa wraps her arms around her wife, and lets Clarke cry on her shoulder. She never wanted things to get out of hand so much.

“Those guns, those awful guns killed so many.” Clarke’s voice is a barely a whisper. “None of our people were supposed to die. You know what’s awful too? Ontari probably died thinking we hated her for lying to us. She saved Aqua’s life. Ontari got herself killed to save Aqua and Hunter.”

“Ontari did the right thing. Her action made her die an honorable death.”

Clarke pulls away to look at her wife. “I should really stop talking about death. It’s everywhere. It’s in my thoughts and when I close my eyes, I see it all happening all over again.”

Lexa pulls her wife back in her arms and sings to her. She wants to do anything she can to comfort Clarke. If she could take her wife’s pain away, she would. She would take over all the pain Clarke is feeling, so she wouldn’t have to feel any at all. They had eight children, now they have six. If Skye doesn’t wake up, they will only have five children left.

Lexa thinks about Aden, who she has seen as her brother for twenty years, until she found out that they are cousins. Aden lost his two sons. It is awful how the triplets have been torn into pieces like that. She doesn’t wish the same fate upon Skye and Lily. She knows that if Skye doesn’t wake up, it will tear Lily apart. When they are home again, she wants to give her people a peaceful life.

 

* * *

 

 

Aden and Luna burst into the room where Skye is still in a coma.

Clarke and Lexa look up at them.

“What is the meaning of this?” Lexa asks.

A few of the Trikru walk in behind Aden and Luna.

Aden has tears in his eyes. He looks at the Trikru. “Tell them.”

One of the Trikru clears his throat to speak. “When we were captured for those twenty years, Dante and his people experimented on us. You might have heard how Dante was about 160 years old, which should be impossible. He kept draining little bits from our blood, but not too much so we wouldn’t die. Trikru blood is special. That counts for all the Trikru, including Luna, Aden, Anya, Lexa and Gustus. Our blood has the power to heal. We have seen Dante bringing dead people back to life with our blood. We do not wish to give you false hope, but you have all suffered great losses.”

Clarke’s face pales. “You… you think you could save the ones we lost? You can bring them back?”

“We can try. We woke up a while ago due to the exhaustion from the long walk and the dehydration. If we can get to their bodies, someone can try to pass some of our blood into their bodies. It would be worth the sho-try. It would be worth it, to try it.”

Clarke swallows thickly upon almost hearing that word. That one word that reminds her of what happened to Blue and River, and so many others.

Lexa stands up. “I do not know where the hospital placed their… their bodies.” She tries to sound strong.

Clarke pushes the red button above Skye’s bed. Shortly after that Abby walks in to see if something is wrong.

“Mom, I need you to tell us where the bodies are.” Clarke tries to sound calm.

“Clarke, I don’t think you should go there.”

“Mom, right now.” Clarke’s voice is more demanding this time. “Now.”

Abby tries to bite back tears. She takes Clarke and Lexa to the morgue of the hospital.

Aden and Luna follow, along with the Trikru.

Clarke looks at her mother. “Okay, don’t freak out, but you have to give us material for a blood transfusion, like a syringe or something.”

“Why do you need that?”

“Mom, please. Please just get it or I’ll go look for it myself.”

Abby gives her daughter a wary look. She gathers the supplies and waits breathlessly what they are up to this time. She keeps an eye on the door, to make sure nobody walks in. It’s not right of her to bring them all here without the proper authorization. When she sees what they try to do, she feels like she might faint.  

Lexa found Blue’s and River’s bodies. She’s holding one arm out for each, while Clarke is preparing a blood transfusion. She is part of the Trikru, her blood must be special too. She has to try.

Clarke gives her mother a look that tells her mother not to question any of this, not right now. “Mom, you should help me.” She points at the people from the Trikru that are in the room with her. “They will try a blood transfusion with the bodies from our people.”

Abby is a doctor and in her entire carrier she has seen a lot, but never has she seen someone trying to transfuse blood into dead bodies. How would her colleagues react? She takes a deep breath and helps. She knows they are all in pain right now, and this might be something desperate they are trying.

 

* * *

 

 

Blue feels something in his arm. No, this cannot be possible. He remembers dying. He got shot and his whole world turned black. How can he feel something? Is he in his next life? He tries to open his eyes, slowly and carefully.

“Lexa, it worked!” Clarke gasps. “Blue, he is… he.” She chokes on her words.

Blue’s perfect soft blue eyes take in the view of his mothers. “Mom? Mama?” He sees something connected to him through his mother. He sees her blood… going into his arm?

Clarke stops the blood transfusion and hugs Blue. “My boy, my baby boy.” She is crying so many tears.

Lexa turns her head to the other side to look at River, her son who received many bullets.

River tenses when he feels life going through him. No, this can’t be. He died, he got shot. His chest hurts badly.

Clarke and Lexa are looking at River with tears in their eyes. 

River reaches his hands out to their cheeks. "Don't cry for me. I was not afraid."

Abby is close to freak out. How is any of this possible? She saw Blue and River, they were both dead. The people who work in the morgue had retrieved all the bullets out of their bodies and cleaned them up, so they could be buried soon.

Aden cries when Buck and Ace wake up. “My sons, my sweet sons.”

One of the Trikru eyes Aden curiously and Lexa too. How did their sons die so easily if they are Trikru? They know they are not immortal. Trikru can die, but it takes a lot more to kill someone from the Trikru. He wants to know so he whispers something in Aden’s ear.

Aden takes a deep shaky breath. “They are… we adopted them.”

The Trikru nod in understanding.

Lexa is so relieved to see that one by one, the people they lost in the war are being brought back to life.

One of the Trikru holds up a warning finger. “This is something you can only do once per person. If they die again, you will not be able to bring them back to life. This is their second chance.”

Clarke looks at her wife. “We must go tell the others.”

Abby is stunned about everything she just witnessed. How can she explain that so many bodies will be suddenly gone from the morgue? It’s not like she can tell her colleagues that they have been brought back to life. She does the only thing she can think off to cover up for this, after they all walk out she sets the morgue on fire. This way only ashes will be left and there will be no way to tell that many dead bodies are back. She helps them to sneak out the back of the hospital before anyone can see them.

Aden collects the other drifters and their allies, to go outside.

Lexa gives them orders to sail home and to wait on her island. She instructs Lincoln to wait with one ship. She has to go collect Skye, who is still in a coma and she knows Lily and Minty are in her room.

Together with Clarke, she walks back inside.

 

* * *

 

 

Lily and Minty are sitting on a chair, on each side of the bed Skye is in. They are holding her hands and whispering sweet nothings to her.

Lily stands up and wraps her arms around her sister. She kisses Skye’s cheek. Her tears wet her sister’s cheek.

A small voice croaks. “Lily?”

Lily jumps up at the sound. She looks at her sister. “Skye?”

Skye opens her eyes slowly. “Lily…” She tries to turn her head and notices her girlfriend. “Minty.”

Minty smiles while tears stream down her cheeks. She leans in to kiss Skye.

“Mom!” Lily shouts. “Mama! Skye is awake!”

Clarke and Lexa jump up from their chairs and rush to the bed to look at their daughter.

“Hey baby girl.” Clarke coos. “I missed you so, so much.”

Lexa takes Skye’s hand and presses a tender kiss on her knuckles. “My sweet angel.”

Skye grasps Lily and Minty with her hands and pulls them both close to her. “My two favorite people in the whole world.” She blinks a few times and looks at her mothers. “My mommies are my favorite people in the whole world too.”

Clarke feels a tear rolling down. “We know sweetheart, we know.”

Lexa pushes a button near Skye’s bed.

A moment later Abby walks in with a concerned look on her face. “Is something wrong?” She had seen the red lamp by the door blinking.

Clarke is overwhelmed by emotions. She hugs her mother. “Skye woke up, she’s awake.”

Abby is shocked. She tries to turn back to neutral, she is a doctor, and she has to behave like one. “I will check Skye’s vitals.” After what she saw in the morgue, she shouldn’t be too shocked.

Abby takes her time to check if Skye is okay.

“What do you think, Abby?” Lexa asks.

“Skye will be okay. I can let her go home, but you all have to be really careful with her. She is still recovering from all her stiches.”

“I will take care of her.” Lily replies.

“Me too.” Minty adds.

Abby manages to crack a smile. “Ah, I can see that Skye will be in good hands.”

Lily smiles at her grandmother. “The best.”

Abby whispers to Clarke and Lexa to keep an eye on all the people who have been brought back to life. She has never seen anything like it. She agrees with Clarke and Lexa that she will arrange the medical bills, along with Gustus and Jake who are still in civilization.

 

* * *

 

 

“Mama, you don’t have to carry me.” Skye giggles at her mother. “I can walk.”

Lexa kisses Skye’s forehead. “I like carrying you.” She wants Skye to spare her strength.

Abby made it abundantly clear that Skye needs to rest as much as possible.

Clarke walks next to her wife, while holding hands with Lily and Minty.

Lincoln is waiting at the beach with a ship. He had been assigned to wait for them as long as it would be necessary, luckily that didn’t take too long. He smiles warmly when he sees Lexa, Clarke, Skye, Lily and Minty approaching.

“There is a cabin prepared for Skye, Lily and Minty.” Lincoln announces. “I pushed two beds together, so they can sleep together.”

“Thank you, Lincoln.” Lexa smiles at him. “That is very considerate of you.”

Lincoln knows the twins, he knows they are inseparable and he knows Minty is Skye’s girlfriend.

Together they sail home. Lincoln radios the drifters to tell them the good news.

 

* * *

 

 

When Clarke and Lexa arrive at home on their island, Lexa is carrying Skye again.

Nearly losing two children has made Lexa clingier to her children. She wants to cherish all she has for as long as she can. She has noticed Clarke is being clingier with their children too.

Lexa gathers her people, the Trikru and her allies around the campfire. Everyone watches and the whole island is silent while they wait for her to talk.

“Drifters and allies, we nearly lost many people in a cruel war. We are given a second chance, a chance to do better, a chance to give all our people a better life. Let there be peace, for us, for our children and for the other generations yet to come.”

Lexa works on making a wooden raft with a few of her people. When it is done, she fills the raft with flowers.

The raft gets pushed onto the water at sea and they set fire to it, symbolically.

The drifters and their allies all take a moment to say a few words.

Clarke and Lexa are so worried about Skye’s health that they coddle her a lot, and they coddle their other children a lot too. After all the years they have been training their children, now nothing is more important than simply being their mothers.

Lexa is laying low on giving orders. Each time she gives orders, she has flashbacks of marching so many people nearly to their deaths. Well they did die for a while. She thinks about Blue and River a lot, and how close she was to losing them forever. She cannot let anything happen to them ever again.

Skye and Lily are happy to see Bubbles again. They had missed their pet. Bubbles is growing a bit bigger. They are able to smile when they call his name and he runs up to them.

Clarke and Lexa are relieved to see that Bubbles is soft with the children. They notice that Bubbles is helpful for the children. It creates a distraction for them, to make them forget about the war.

The Trikru are offered to live with the drifters, an offer they gladly take.

Clarke has been thanking the Trikru endlessly for letting them know about their special blood and for helping. The pain she had felt for her sons was real, and sometimes she still feels it, but then she sees her sons, happy and alive and all is well.

 

* * *

 

 

A year later everyone still strongly remembers what happened a year ago. It has been a peaceful year. Everyone who was wounded has fully recovered.

Blue, Aqua, River, Hope, Skye, Lily, Summer and Clay groan sometimes that their mothers are being hyper protective, but they understand why. They don’t blame their mothers for being that way.

Aqua is sixteen now. She is still together with Hunter. When she turns eighteen, she wants to marry him. She doesn’t know yet how she will break that news to her mothers, but they might have a feeling already. Over the past year, her mothers have built a strong friendship with Roan and Ontari. 

The drifter’s allies are not just allies anymore, they are friends now. After the war a year ago, they found peace and they have been keeping that peace.

Blue is sixteen. He has gotten closer to a girl on their island, and they have been hanging out together a lot. He often takes her to the river to swim. Every day, he lets his family know how much he loves them, so they will never forget that.

Hope is fifteen. She has been doing well as a healer, although lately she doesn’t have to heal people so much anymore. The times of healing wounds seem to have passed. She is still together with Rosie, and she is fairly sure she will marry her someday.

River is fifteen. He has made some good friends with children from other islands, who visit a lot and sometimes he visits them too. There is a boy he likes and he has been really nervous about it, until his mothers assured him that it is really okay.

Skye is fourteen. She is still together with Minty, who is now eleven. They’re happy together and they play on the island a lot. Together they climb trees, along with Lily. When they battle, they battle with sticks. Their mother, the commander, has become wary of weapons, which meant they couldn’t fight with swords anymore.

Lily has been getting closer with a boy from the island. She likes spending her time climbing trees with her twin, or battling with sticks. Sometimes she wishes she could battle with a sword, like old times, but she knows that is a sensitive spot for her people.

Summer and Clay are seven. They play a lot with other children on the island. The play garden on their island is bigger now. When they’re not playing there, they are splashing water at each other in the river. Their mothers have been reading them bedtime stories and they have been singing to them. They are happy that they can play and that they don’t have to battle anymore.

Emily is fourteen. She’s really happy with Kai, who is seventeen. The tasks she has been giving to people as Lexa’s co-commander have been small. Lexa often lets her decide who can collect bananas, berries and coconuts, and who has to spear fish. At night when the others are sleeping, Lexa allows them to battle each other on the beach if they want, but only if nobody else is on the beach. The twins often join them, but they don't tell Lexa that. 

Kai visits Roan’s island sometimes, so he can train with Roan’s warriors. When Emily turns eighteen, he wants to marry her.

The drifters are happy and all of their friends are happy too.

Aden is smiling widely at his triplets who are trying to build a sand castle.

Blue is handing shells to the triplets so they can decorate their sand castle.

River brings them some flowers.

Clarke kisses her wife. Tears are leaking from her eyes. “Our children are perfect. I’m so happy to see them happy.”

“Our children are perfect, like you.”

“I love you, Lexa.”

“I love you too, Clarke.”

Clarke and Lexa fall down onto the sand when their children run up to them.

“Group hug!” Blue shouts.

Clarke chuckles lightly. “Aren’t you getting too old to hug your mothers?” Her tone is light and playful.

Blue shakes his head and smiles at his mother. “I’ll never be too old to let my family know how much I love them.”

Lexa pulls Blue close and kisses his cheeks.

“Ew, mama. Okay for that I might be getting too old.”

Clarke and Lexa share a mischievous look with each other before they both say. “Never.”

Lexa jumps up to her feet. “Is anyone ready for… the tickle monster?”

Clarke runs across the beach with her children while being chased by Lexa.

Bubbles, who is now a lot bigger, jumps on top of all of them and licks their faces. 

Octavia is sitting next to Raven. “Are you crying?” She looks at the way Raven is looking at the clexa family moment with tears in her eyes.

“I’m not crying, you’re crying.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last chapter will be nothing but fluff and happiness, pinkie promise. 
> 
> I couldn't get it over my heart to let them by dead, so I had to revive them. Special Trikru blood, because why not :)


	30. Chapter 30

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff :)

Two years of peace have passed. The drifters and their friends are spending their lives happy and healthy. The times of enemies have passed. More islands have been befriending the drifters. Everyone worked hard to get that peace, and since they have it, they are very set on not losing it.

The Trikru live peacefully on the island with the drifters, without being obligated to become drifters themselves. The drifters are happy to share their home with the Trikru. They have been picking up Trigedasleng from the Trikru.

Over the past two years, Luna has developed a strong connection with Aden, Lexa and Anya. She is happy to be reunited with family. She’s happy to be the aunt of the triplets, who are adorable. She has also taking a liking to Anya’s son and Lexa’s children. They have all been really sweet and they make her feel at home. It feels strange to her that even though she is on this island with her brother, Aden is a part of the drifters, while she decided to be a part of the Trikru like she was always meant to be. She is the Trikru’s queen.

Lexa ensured that Luna’s status on her island is respected, because Luna’s title is just as important as hers.

Over the past two years, not so many orphans have arrived, which is a relief, truly. Children do not tend to lose their parents so easily anymore, since there are no enemies to fight. When a child becomes an orphan, it is due to their parents dying of a natural cause. At first the Trikru would try to revive them, but it turned out that when someone dies of a natural cause, they cannot be revived.

Hope collects a handful of flowers for Rosie. She wakes her girlfriend up with a kiss and hands her the flowers. She giggles when she runs out of their hut.

Clarke and Lexa are sitting on a tree log, eating breakfast when Hope runs up to them.

Hope fidgets with her shirt. “I have a special request.” She’s not sure how her mothers will react.

Lexa looks at her daughter. “What is your special request?” She can see that Hope is nervous.

“Um… well, about the whole marriage thing…I’m sixteen now and I know that I’m still young, but I want to marry Rosie. My request is if I can propose to her. I know there is no rush and I could marry her when I’m eighteen, but I really want to marry her, she’s the one, I know she is.”

Lexa licks her lips. She knows what will happen if she changes the age to let people get married. “I will allow it.” She loves it when Hope smiles. How could she possibly say no to her daughter’s happiness?

Hope hugs her mothers. “Thank you!”

Clarke and Lexa watch as Hope runs off, ready to propose to Rosie.

Lexa should have known that granting Hope permission to get married at sixteen would cause a chain reaction with her people. What’s important is that her people are happy.

Aqua walks up to her mothers, holding Hunter’s hand. Roan and Ontari are watching them from nearby.

“Hunter proposed and I said yes.” Aqua mumbles to her mothers. “I’m seventeen and he’s sixteen, so it’s okay, right?”

Lexa looks at her wife with wide eyes. Okay, yes it has to be okay. If she is allowing Hope to get married, then she can’t deny Aqua to get married.

Clarke smiles at Aqua. “We’re so happy for you sweetheart.” She looks at her wife. “Two of our daughters are going to get married, this is so beautiful.”

Lexa can’t stop a few tears from escaping, tears of joy.

Clarke and Lexa didn’t think that at age thirty-four, they will be witnessing two of their daughters getting married. Their children are growing up so fast.

Clarke hugs Summer and Clay who are eight years old. “Don’t grow up too fast okay? You’re my two little babies.”

“Mommy, we are not babies.” Clay groans.

Lexa chuckles lightly. She thinks the things her wife is saying. In her eyes, Summer and Clay are still their babies too. Seeing their children grow up is hard.

Clarke smiles at her wife with a twinkle in her eyes.

Lexa knows that look. “Clarke…” She can take a guess what her wife is thinking.

Clarke takes her wife’s hand and her smile brightens. “I was thinking… you know how our children are growing up fast. Aside from Summer and Clay, they are all teenagers. So I was thinking-”

Lexa cuts her wife off. “Clarke, no.”

“Lexa, yes.”

“Clarke…”

“Lexa…”

Lexa sighs. Not this again. She can see her wife pouting. If she closes her eyes she doesn’t have to see Clarke pouting. She shuts her eyes. No, it doesn’t help. Even if she doesn’t see her wife, she knows which look is on Clarke’s face.

Clarke lets out a raspy laugh when she sees the look on her wife’s face that has all the telltale signs of ‘ _help me’_.  “It wouldn’t be so bad if we could adopt one more child, what’s one more?”

“Eight children, Clarke. Eight…”

Clarke leans closer to her wife to whisper in her ear. “How about nine?”

Lexa groans. “Sure Clarke, why don’t we adopt all the orphans?” Sarcasm seeps through her voice, but her wife seems to miss it.

“Oh wow really?” Clarke smiles brightly. “That’s a good idea!” She runs off to go find Aqua, Blue, River, Hope, Skye, Lily, Summer and Clay. “Hey children, guess what your mama told me!”

Lexa nudges Bubbles who is at her feet. “Go get her, Bubbles!” She points at her wife who is running across the beach.

Bubbles lets out a growling noise and runs after Clarke.

Lexa laughs when Bubbles tackles her wife down onto the sand and licks her face, while Clarke is desperately trying to get the big ball of fur off of her. That will teach her. Although she should have counted on the fact that her wife would call reinforcements.

“Skye, Lily!” Clarke shouts. “Get Bubbles off of me!”

Skye and Lily give each other a high five.

“What did you do this time to make mama send Bubbles after you?” Skye teasingly asks.

Lily holds her thumb up to Lexa. “Nice one, mama!”

Clarke groans. Maybe more than eight children isn’t such a good idea after all. At least not when they all side with her wife. 

 

* * *

 

 

Octavia and Lincoln are sitting on a tree log with Raven and Anya, talking and smiling.

Kai runs up to them and kneels down. “Octavia and Lincoln, I am here to ask you both for Emily’s hand. I want to marry her.” He had read books and he wanted to do this in a special way.

Raven and Anya gasp. They know their son likes Emily, a lot. They have been really happy together. Kai is eighteen, but Emily isn’t. They did hear about Lexa allowing the age to be lowered, but surely not to fifteen?

“That is very sweet, Kai.” Octavia whispers. “But um… Emily is fifteen.”

Kai nods in understanding. “I know, but Lexa has been lowering the age to sixteen, and I thought perhaps she could make an exception.”

Lincoln’s thoughts are screaming at him. He hopes Kai won’t knock up his fifteen year old daughter. He’s not ready for that yet. He’s sure Octavia isn’t ready to be a grandmother. He knocked Octavia up when she was sixteen, which did not set a good example.

Octavia takes a deep breath to steady herself. “Okay, you can ask Emily.”

Kai smiles brighter than they have ever seen him smile. He runs away between the trees, where he knows he’ll find his girlfriend.

Emily grins when Kai pushes her against a tree. “You always find me too fast.”

Kai kisses her and smiles at her.

Emily forgets how to breathe for a moment when Kai kneels down in front of her.

“Emily, my sweet perfect angel, will you marry me?”

Emily wraps her arms around Kai. “Yes, yes I will marry you.” She already knew she wanted to marry him. They always made a perfect team together.

 

* * *

 

 

Lexa is smiling when she is standing next to the campfire, and looking at all her people and her friends from other islands.

“Dear drifters and friends, today it is my honor to bind marriages.” Lexa looks around. “It warms my heart to know that today Aqua, my eldest daughter will be marrying Hunter.” She knows this also means that eventually Aqua will be living with Hunter on Roan’s island, but her daughter will be happy and that is what matters.

Lexa shifts her gaze to Hope. “What warms my heart even more is to know that today another daughter of mine, Hope will be marrying Rosie. They are both amazing healers.” She is relieved that Hope won’t move to another island.

Emily stands up next to Lexa.

Lexa places a hand on Emily’s shoulder. “It warms my heart to know that today, Emily will be marrying Kai. In a few years from now, I will pass on my title to Emily and I’m sure that together with Kai, they will be great leaders.”

The drifters and all their friends sit down around the campfire, in awe while they watch three weddings taking place.

Aqua is holding Hunter’s hands in hers. She is facing him and she’s so happy.

Lexa can’t stop smiling the entire time. “Aqua, do you accept Hunter as your husband to love and cherish him at all times, for eternity?” She looks at Roan who nods at her. “And do you accept to rule on his side as queen, when he takes his place as a king?”

Aqua squeezes Hunter’s hands. “I do.”

Lexa turns to face Hunter. “Hunter, do you accept Aqua as your wife to love and cherish her at all times, for eternity? Do you accept Aqua as your queen when you take your place as a king?”

Hunter smiles at Aqua. “I do.”

Lexa notices the approving look on Roan’s face. She has made an effort to mix the habit of her people with the habit of Roan’s people. “You may share your vows, Aqua, you may go first.”

Aqua takes a deep breath. She’s slightly nervous. “Hunter, there has always been something about you that was drawing me closer to you. We have been through a lot together, and you have always been right at my side, always there with me. I know that when you are king, you will be grand. I love you, and I will always love you.”

Lexa nods towards Hunter to signal him that it’s his turn.

Hunter looks deeply into Aqua’s eyes. “Aqua, I fell in love with you long before we began a relationship. The way you smile ignites a fire in me. The way you whip your curly hair is adorable. When you laugh, you have cute little dimples in your cheeks. Someday you will be my queen. The people on my island are going to adore you, I have no doubt they will, because what is not to love about you? In my eyes, you are perfect. I love you, more than I can say.”

Lexa smiles at her daughter and her son in law. “You may kiss.”

Aqua grasps the collar of Hunter’s shirt and pulls him close to kiss him, earning laughter from the people around them.

Roan takes Aqua’s hand. “My people swear fealty to you, princess.”

Aqua sits down with Hunter to watch her sister getting married. She’s so happy for Hope and she likes how her younger sister is getting married on the same day.

Hope and Rosie are both nervously smiling.

Lexa smiles at her daughter. “Hope, do you accept Rosie as your wife, to love and cherish her at all times, for eternity?”

Hope smiles at Rosie, her wife to be. “I do.” She has no doubt.

“Rosie, do you accept Hope as your wife, to love and cherish her at all times, for eternity?”

“I do.”

Lexa looks at her daughter. “Hope, you may share your vows.”

Hope connects her eyes with Rosie’s. “Rosie, I liked you since the day I met. You are gentle, sweet, kind and caring. You are always helping people. Every day I have spent with you counts as the best days of my life. I will hold your hand forever, if you let me. When you get sick, I will not leave your side. I love you.”

Lexa looks at Rosie. “You may share your vows, Rosie.”

Rosie smiles at Hope. “Hope, my sweet Hope. You have showed me kindness from the very first day I got onto this island. You were my first friend here, and my best friend. You are precious and pure. You have an honest heart. You would protect others with all you have. I love you.”

Lexa smiles at her daughter and her daughter in law. “You may kiss.” She likes this moment, it’s so cute.

Hope and Rosie share a soft and tender kiss.

Hope sits down next to Aqua, with Rosie right next to her.

Emily and Kai step forward. They know all eyes are on them now. With their dark hair, they look like a perfect match. Kai is a man, he is quite tall. His chest is broad and strong. Emily is rather petite and looks younger than she is.

Octavia looks at them. Emily reminds her of herself, and Kai reminds her of Lincoln.

Lexa takes a deep breath. “Emily, do you accept Kai as your husband to love and cherish him at all times, for eternity? Do you accept Kai as your equal, to lead on your side?”

Emily nods. “I do.”

Lexa looks at Kai. “Kai, do you accept Emily as your wife to love and cherish her at all times, for eternity? Do you vow to lead on her side, as her equal and to guard her with your life?”

Kai clasps his hands firmly behind his back. “I do.”

Lexa shifts her eyes back to Emily. “Emily, you may share your vows.”

“Kai, in my eyes, you have always been my equal. We grew up together. We trained together. I like all the adventures we had together, and I would love to share more adventures with you. We click, we always clicked. The spark between us has always been there. You are strong, fierce and fearless. You inspire me and you give me strength. Together we are invincible. I love you.”

Lexa looks at Kai. “You may share your vows, Kai.”

For the first time in his life, Kai has a twinge of fear. It’s small, but it’s there. He has never been scared, but right now, standing here to marry Emily, he feels scared. “Emily, I always knew there was something very special about you. I like the spice you have. You have always been little, but oh so strong. I love having competitions with you about who can climb the fastest and who can run the fastest. Together we make a good team, and we blend well. I like it when we watch the stars at night, but not even all the stars in the sky combined sparkle as bright as your eyes. I can’t wait to wake up next to you every morning for the rest of my life. You are my heart. I pledge my life to you, always. I love you.”

Lexa looks at them. Their love is so pure, so honest. “You may kiss now.”

Kai places his hands on Emily’s sides and lifts her up, to press their lips together. Emily is like a feather in his arms.

Lexa seals the three weddings permanently with the sacred blood oath. She watches as they carefully make a cut in the palms of each other’s hands, and squeeze it above a bowl to burn it above the campfire.

 

* * *

 

 

Raven places her boom box down onto the sand and puts music on. She laughs when she sees Monty and Jasper, trying to spike the drinks, but being caught by Lexa.

“Can we at least have a few cups?” Jasper tries. “It’s a celebration after all.”

“We’ll clean everything up tomorrow in the morning, we swear.” Monty adds.

Lexa smiles at them. She never knew Jasper well, but she’s happy to see him alive and well, happy to see that Monty has his best friend. “Okay, but only tonight and tomorrow you will be cleaning everything up.”

Emily takes a cup, but Octavia quickly takes it out of her hands. “Aw mom, come on. Just one cup.”

Octavia shakes her head. “That’s so not going to happen.”

Kai takes a sip from his cup and with his eyes he is smiling at his wife.

Emily walks over to her husband. She takes his cup and pours it over his head. “If I can’t have any, neither can you.”

Kai holds his hands up in defeat and smiles at his wife. “Okay, fair enough.”

Emily grasps his wrists so she can dance with him.

Lexa is spinning her wife around in her arms. She loves Clarke so much. This celebration feels good. Her people and all of their friends from other islands are all happily dancing and singing along with the music, even though some have no idea what they’re supposed to be singing, so it sounds a bit sloppy.

Clarke kisses her wife. “I love you so much, you beautiful perfect dork.” She is so happy. This night is beyond perfect.

Skye is dancing with Lily and Minty. They’re making silly faces at each other, and they’re laughing a lot.

“Ohhh my jam is on!!” Raven shouts loudly.

Lay all your love on me bursts through the boom box. This is one of the songs the drifters and their friends know really well, because Raven plays that song a lot. No wait, a lot is probably an understatement.

Raven winks at Anya. “Don’t go wasting your emotion! Lay all your love on me!”

Anya leans closer to her wife and whispers in her ear. “I will, tonight.”

Raven grins and pushes her body close to her wife’s.

When the next song bursts through the boom box, Raven is singing along for the entire island to hear.

 

_If you change your mind, I'm the first in line_

_Honey I'm still free_

_Take a chance on me_

_If you need me, let me know, gonna be around_

_If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down_

_If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown_

_Honey I'm still free_

_Take a chance on me_

_Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie_

_If you put me to the test, if you let me try_

 

Anya grasps her wife’s wrist. “There’s no way you’ll ever be free.” She kisses Raven possessively.

Raven smirks. “I have been yours for twenty-two years, babe. I ain’t going anywhere.”

"Good because if you'd dare to go, I'd tie you up."

Raven laughs. "Sure you would."

"Try me."

Raven gives her wife her signature smirk. "Challenge accepted."

Anya rolls her eyes. "It's not a challenge, babe."

Raven taps her finger against her wife's chest. "Challenge..." she winks "...accepted."

"You just want me to tie you up."

"And you're complaining about that?"

"Point taken."

 

* * *

 

 

_Wise men say_

_Only fools rush in_

_But I can't help falling in love with you_

_Shall I stay?_

_Would it be a sin_

_If I can't help falling in love with you?_

_Like a river flows_

_Surely to the sea_

_Darling, so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

_Take my hand,_

_Take my whole life, too_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

_Like a river flows_

_Surely to the sea_

_Darling, so it goes_

_Some things are meant to be_

_Take my hand,_

_Take my whole life, too_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

_For I can't help falling in love with you_

 

* * *

 

 

“I love you, Clarke.”

Clarke has heard her wife tell her that so many times, yet with Lexa’s soft and beautiful voice, it still gives her butterflies every time she hears those words leaving her wife’s perfectly shaped lips. She loves the way her name rolls off Lexa’s tongue, the way her wife clicks the ‘K’.

“I love you too, Lexa.” Clarke’s voice is sultry, just the way she knows her wife likes it.

Lexa kisses her wife, and quickly feels Clarke melting into their kiss. She slides her hands slowly down her wife’s bare arms, feeling Clarke shiver slightly at the touch.

Clarke feels her wife’s hands resting just above her hips. She brings her hand up around Lexa’s neck, holding her wife impossibly closer to her body.

Lexa whimpers into their kiss, when her wife’s skin touches hers. She slides one hand to the small of Clarke’s back, while her other hand slides up to her wife’s shoulder.

Clarke places her head in the crook of her wife’s neck. She is content to dance with Lexa like this. She wishes this night would never end. The flower scent in her wife’s hair makes her stomach churn in all the right ways. Lexa always smells nice.

Lexa tenderly kisses her wife’s cheek, as they dance slowly, not paying attention to the rhythm of the music. Together they are too wrapped up in their own rhythm. She sees their children, dancing and laughing. They’re so happy, all of them. Seeing their children like that makes her heart swell.

Raven is dancing near to Lexa and Clarke, with her wife. Her hands eagerly move over Anya’s body like she is losing control. She knows she has to hold it together for a little while longer, until they are in their hut where she can have her wife the way she wants her. After all the years they have spent together, the fire between them is stronger than ever.

Anya connects her lips with her wife’s lips. Her tongue dances around Raven’s, while they hopelessly try to dance to the music. She chuckles when her nose bumps against her wife’s nose. She sees their son dancing with Emily and watching them together makes her melt. Kai is very tender with his wife, she can see that.

Lincoln has his hands tightly wrapped around his wife. He loves Octavia so much. It feels good to dance with his wife. 

 

* * *

 

 

Clarke sits down on the beach with her wife, while looking up at the stars in the sky. “This is all so perfect. Being here with you, our children and everyone else is perfect. This is our home.”

Lexa nods. “It really is perfect. I would not trade this for anything.”

Clarke places her head on her wife’s shoulder. She feels relaxed to sit here like this with Lexa, her Lexa, to sit here and simply be.

“I love you so much, Lexa. You, the children, all of this, are the best things that ever happened to me.”

“I love you too, Clarke. All of this is the best thing that ever happened to me too, but there is one more thing, one more thing that is the best that has ever happened to me, because without that one thing, none of this would have ever been possible.”

Clarke turns her face slowly to look into her wife’s green eyes, which look dark now, here at night. “And what might that one thing be?”

“Getting shipwrecked. That is the best thing that has ever happened to me, because after that, many more good things kept happening. Getting shipwrecked brought me home, it brought me to you.”

Lexa is home.

Home is with her family, her children.

Home is right here next to her wife.

Twenty-four years ago she got shipwrecked, and that’s the best thing that ever happened to her.

Clarke smiles at her wife. Lexa is right. Nothing has ever been better than getting shipwrecked.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's a wrap. This is the last chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> I couldn't let this story go yet, so that's why I made the decision to write a third part to the island series. 
> 
> If you have any thoughts or comments, feel free to leave them :)


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